Parachute Outtakes
by KitsuShel
Summary: Outtakes and missing scenes from my story, Parachute. Rated M for possible strong language and lemons later in the story.
1. Introduction

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

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Hello loves! I promised that we would be seeing missing scenes or various outtakes from the story, Parachute. Here is where we'll be adding said pieces of our puzzle! I hope you enjoy them.

Just a forewarning, they will be posted out of order or time sequence. I'll be adding them as the moment strikes me with inspiration! So, these won't be posted with any kind of order or schedule like the main story has going.

Feel free to drop me a line or mention in a review any thoughts or comments you might have. I am totally up for suggestions at to what you guys might want to see here! I'll definitely listen to anything you guys have to say!

As always, my eternal love and gratitude to my Beta and Ficwife, Monica/Meeple/Grope-Worthy Cullen.

Thanks again for all of your love and support!

XoXoXo

Shel

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**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**


	2. Best Friend

**"Best Friends"**

...

_**February 20, 2010**_

...

Bella finished drying the last plate and placed in the cupboard. She hung the towel on it's rack and walked into the living room to find Jack. He was lounging on the couch watching a cartoon. She lifted up his sock-clad feet and sat down, placing them on her lap. She cocked her head to the side, trying to figure out what the show was.

"Is this Yu-Gi-Oh? Where's Yugi and his little puzzle?"

Jack turned to look at her and rolled his eyes.

"No, Mom, it's Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's. Yusei is the main character," he replied in an exasperated voice. He he pointed to blond haired man on the screen. "That guy right there is Jack, like me. He's a badass."

"Language, Jack," Bella smacked his foot lightly. He grinned sheepishly at her. "Sorry, Mom."

After a few minutes of silence, Bella spoke up.

"So, how about we take a trip to Seattle today?"

"Sure, what for?" Jack asked.

"Well, since Allie is still on her honeymoon, I was thinking that maybe we could take a trip to look at cars. If we wait until she gets back, she'll have it picked out and delivered the next day. I thought it'd be nice to for just the two of us to pick it out."

"YES!" he said, pumping his fist. Jack jumped up quickly and ran over to the stairs.

"Hey, hey, hey!" she called after him, "Slow down, kid! You just got your cast off and I don't want to take a trip for another one!"

She shook her head and laughed while making her way up to her room to get ready as well. She was in her closet pulling out an outfit when Jack poked his head in the door.

"I'm all ready! Is it ok to call and talk to Riley while I'm waiting?" he asked.

"Sure, I'll just be a couple of minutes," she smiled. Jack grinned and left her room.

"Oi, I wonder what I've gotten myself into?" she wondered aloud.

...

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O **

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Bella asked herself that exact same question, nearly four hours later, while sitting in the dealer room at Park Place Aston Martin in Bellevue. Jack had dragged her to half a dozen different dealerships, but nothing had been the "right" car. The guy at the last place had been super nice, and even though it lost him a sale, he suggested that they come here. Aston Martins were flashy and expensive, but were well known for their safety and durability, not to mention their beauty.

Jack was so excited that he was bouncing in his seat. She looked over at him and raised an eyebrow.

"This is it, I can feel it," he explained. Bella suppressed a groan, thinking that he had definitely been spending too much time with Alice.

A man named Jared came over and introduced himself and started to show them around the showroom. She had decided that she was looking for something like a Sedan or SUV. When they saw nothing that they liked inside the showroom, Jared took them out to the back lot. As soon as she saw it, her heart skipped a beat. It was a truly beautiful, mid-sized convertible in ice blue. She felt Jack tug her hand. When she looked at him, she saw that he was staring at the same car. He looked up at her with wide eyes.

"That's it," he said in awe. "I saw it in a dream."

Yeah, Alice-time was getting cut. She sighed. As much as she loved the car at first glance, it was way too impractical for them. She needed something for shopping trips and moving items back and forth from both stores to her house or Allie's.

"Jack, it's pretty, but what would we need a convertible for? We live in the rainiest part of the continental United States."

He looked up at her, his eyes shining with joy.

"It doesn't rain all of the time. Plus, didn't my best friend mention something about taking some road trips this summer?" he batted his eyes at her adorably. She felt her already meager resistance start to crumble.

"Oh, so now I'm your best friend again?" she joked with him. He stopped and looked at her seriously.

"You've always been my best friend. Riley and Garrett are awesome, but you're always first. You always will be, car or not, Mom."

She felt her eyes prick with the sting of tears. She could tell through his eyes and the tone of his voice that he 100% sincere. She crouched down and swept him into a tight hug.

"Oh, Jack," she whispered, "same here, Little Bit. You'll always be my best friend."

Wiping her eyes, she stood up and let out a deep breath. Jared had been quietly standing of to the side, either checking or pretending to check his phone, allowing them some privacy. She looked back at Jack and he grinned.

"You know, we can always put the top down and take a trip down the coast, maybe visit a beach or two," he suggested.

She looked at him and laughed, "Oh really now?"

"Yeah," he said, holding both of his pointer fingers and thumbs in the shape of a camera, "I can see it now. We call it research for your next book. Jack Attacks: The Road Trip."

She started to giggle, which turned into a full blown belly laugh. She calmed her breathing down and shook her head. He looked up at her and smirked.

"So, can we get our car now?"

...

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**_April 3, 2010_**

As Bella placed the large cake box in the trunk of her car, she wondered once again about her sanity when it came to Jackson Swan. She had just dropped $250 on a three tiered cake that was topped with a miniature half-pipe and a little boy on a skateboard. Jack was back on a board before his cast was even off. She had nearly had a heart attack the day she watched him do a kickflip. She wasn't thrilled, but she gave him his leeway. She went out and bought him a cheap board of his own, as well as a helmet and pads for him, and for Garrett and Riley as well.

For his birthday the previous Wednesday, she had made him cupcakes and gave him a book on skating tricks, plus a gift card to Odds and Ends. He found the gift card quite amusing since, in his words, "he was in with the owner."

They were having a party at their house today, with their friends and family coming over and celebrating his eighth birthday. She saved his main gift, a Tony Hawk Birdhouse Titanium skateboard, for today. That was the reason she got him a cheaper board for him to learn on the past couple of months.

She pulled her Aston in the driveway and noticed that Sue's car was already there. She smiled at the thought of her step-mother. She and Charlie were pretty much the only things she missed about Forks. She opened the trunk just as her father appeared at the front door. He was taking the cake from her arms before she even had a chance to say hello.

"Hi Dad," she smiled and shut the trunk. He leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"Hello, favorite daughter of mine," he said cheekily. She grinned and bumped his hip lightly.

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Pops," she replied. "Except the keys to my baby," she added after a moment and winked.

She started to giggle as her grown father pouted. It was so heart warming and refreshing to see him so carefree and playful. For too many years he had been detached and stoic. Both Jack and Sue were truly blessings in their lives.

They walked into the kitchen and placed the cake on the counter closest to the fridge. Bella walked over and gazed out into the small yard, where all of the boys (Jack, Riley, Garret, Seth, Jasper and Ben) were attempting to throw around a football in the confined space while Sue, Alice, Angela and Leah watched on from the little picnic table. Sue, Charlie and Seth were spending the night so that they could spend tomorrow, Easter Sunday, together as a family. Seth would sleep in Jack's room while Bella was taking the couch and giving up her bed to her parents. She made a mental note to thank Alice again for forcing her to buy the leather couch that was probably more comfortable than her own bed.

She felt her dad place his hand on her shoulder. She looked up and smiled back at him.

"It feels good, doesn't it?" he asked. She nodded.

"To be surrounded by so much love," he continued, "is amazing. I'm sorry that you never had that kind of childhood. One day when he's a grown man, he'll think back on this and be thankful everyday that you were his mother, Bella. I can assure you of that."

She turned around and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. He always knew what just to say to make her heart melt. This was one of thousands of times where she realized just what kind of mistake her mother had made. Trading a life full of love and adoration for wandering and instability. It was beyond Bella's comprehension.

She pulled back a little and smiled up at him.

"What do you say about bringing the crew inside so we can eat and then maybe sweet Jack into playing the piano for us?"

Charlie laughed.

"See? I told you buying that old Steinway upright from Mrs Cope was a good idea."

"Of course, you're never wrong are you, Daddy?" she teased.

"Never when it counts, baby girl."

He winked at her as he went outside.

...

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

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	3. In My Life

O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O

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_There are places I remember _

_All my life, though some have changed _

_Some forever not for better _

_Some have gone and some remain _

_All these places had their moments _

_With lovers and friends I still can recall _

_Some are dead and some are living _

_In my life I've loved them all_

_**May 14, 2006**_

...

The sun shone brightly in Bella's bedroom window. She grunted and pulled a pillow over her head. Finals were coming up in a few weeks, so she had spent the previous night up late studying, instead of out partying like almost every other 19 year old on a Saturday night. Not that she had any interest in those kinds of activities before taking on the job of caring for Jack. She was a bookworm by habit and she would have much preferred to spend her time at home, curled up with a new novel. These days, she was content and happy to pull out some games or read with Jack until bedtime came. It was odd to see how much her life had changed by bringing the little boy into her heart, but also how much it stayed the same as well. She still got up every morning and either went to class or did laundry. She helped Sue with dinner or made it by herself when Sue had to work late.

She smiled, thinking about how much of her heart that Jack now encompassed. Her world pretty much revolved around him and she wouldn't have it any other way. The doubts and fears about losing him still gripped her from time to time, but she was learning to deal better with them. Talking with Kate during their family therapy sessions had helped a great deal.

Bella heard her bedroom door creak open, so she quickly closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep, but she couldn't wipe the smile from her face. She felt the bed dip down and smelled his minty breath waft across her cheek. Charlie must have helped him brush his teeth this morning.

"Bella?" he whispered.

"Bella?" he called a little louder. She heard him huff a little.

"C'mon, Bella! I know you're awake!" he whined.

Her eyes popped open and she grinned. "How did you know?"

"You were smiling, silly!" He rolled his little eyes at her.

Bella bit her lip and held back a laugh as she took in his appearance. His hair and cheeks were doused with smatterings of flour. There was some type of batter on his shirt and he smelled like bacon.

"Mmmmmm," she moaned, "you smell so good! I think I might eat you up!"

She quickly flipped off her covers and started to tickle him as she made 'nom-nom-nom' sounds against his neck. He squealed and giggled. He wiggled free and flopped to the floor. Bella peeked over the edge and saw him looking up at her sternly.

"Okay, stop that. We have breakfast to eat!" he said as he scrambled to his feet.

Bella nodded solemnly as she stood up and slipped her feet into her bunny slippers, before grabbing her robe and following Jack down to the kitchen. Her eyes widened as she took in the disaster in front of her. There were broken eggs on the counter, batter smeared across the cabinets and dirty bowls and pans piled high in the sink.

She pulled her gaze towards her father, who was rubbing the back of his neck, sheepishly.

"Happy Mother's Day, Bell," he smiled, giving her a quick nod in Jack's direction to let her know that it was his idea.

Her heart skipped a beat as she looked down at the grinning little boy. It was his way of saying what he couldn't yet and she understood that.

She smiled brightly and blinked the tears out of her eyes.

"Happy Mom's Day, Bella!" he said as he hugged her legs tightly.

She squatted down and got to his eye level. She kissed him on the cheek and hugged him.

"Thank you, Little Bit. I'm sure it's awesome. I'm starving."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her into the dining room. The table was set and there was a platter piled high with oddly shaped pancakes, scrambled eggs and slightly burnt bacon. She shook her head and laughed lightly. The three of them sat at the table and began to put their plates together. Bella looked around and noticed something missing.

"Where's Sue, Dad?" she asked.

"Seth and Leah took her out for the day. I figured that we could all meet up at the Lodge for dinner, if that's okay with you?"

Bella nodded and smiled. It was more than okay with her. Normally, she spent Mother's Day in a bit of a funk, wondering what her own mother was up to. Not this year. This year she had more important things to occupy her time. She glanced over to Jack and watched him for a minute as he tried to cut his pancakes with his fork.

"Here, let me help you, sweetie."

He smiled gratefully up at her. He had been trying to do more things for himself lately, but sometimes he still needed help.

As Bella tucked into her own breakfast afterwards, she noted that it didn't taste half bad. The pancakes were pretty dry, the eggs were a little runny and the bacon was extra crispy, but knowing how much love had been put into it made her chew and swallow each bite in joy. When they were all finished, Bella started to gather up the dishes.

"Oh, no you don't," Charlie stopped her. "You just take it easy. Jack and I will take care of the mess, won't we, little man?"

"Yep!" Jack nodded enthusiastically. Charlie shook his head and laughed.

"I came down this morning and Jack was in the kitchen with a toy frying pan filled with a few cracked eggs. He was trying to make breakfast for 'his Bella'."

She glanced at Jack, who was blushing slightly. She sat down and pulled him onto her lap.

"Well, I think it was sweet, but no more trying to cook without an adult around, okay?" she ruffled his hair.

Jack nodded and hugged her again.

"Sorry, I just wanted to make you 'ancakes."

"I know, kiddo, but you need help to do that. I loved that you wanted to do that for me though. It made me really happy."

"It did?" he asked. She just nodded and smiled.

He rested his head against her shoulder and sighed.

"Bella, can I tell you something?" he asked.

"You can tell anything, sweetie, it's all right."

He pulled back and looked into her eyes.

"I love you, Bella."

Her heart stopped and then skidded across the floor.

"Oh, Jack," she gasped, tears trying to fight their way out of her eyes, "I love you, too, baby. So much."

He grinned and threw his arms around her neck. She hugged him tightly and rocked back and forth holding him. She felt light as a feather and in that moment, she knew that it was only the beginning.

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**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

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_But of all these friends and lovers _

_There is no one compares with you _

_And these memories lose their meaning _

_When I think of love as something new _

_Though I know I'll never lose affection_

_ For people and things that went before _

_I know I'll often stop and think about them_

_ In my life I love you more_

...

_**May 9, 2010**_

...

Bella groaned and brought her fists up to rub her eyes. When she opened them, she jumped back and shrieked. A pair of vibrant green eyes were staring at her from mere inches away. Jack started to laugh and Bella hit him with a pillow.

"Why are you watching me sleep? That's creepy!" she playfully shouted at him. He ducked and smirked at her.

"You talk in your sleep. I find it fascinating."

Bella rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, keep it up, kid, and you'll find yourself out on the lawn."

He laughed and shook his head. A lock of his auburnish hair fell across his forehead. She smiled and pulled him into her arms.

"Happy Mother's Day, Mom," he told her, hugging her back.

"Thanks, Little Bit. Now, what kind of a mess do I have to look forward to this morning?" she giggled.

He rolled his eyes and laughed with her.

"Nothing this year, I promise. Come take a look!"

Bella sat up and pulled on her slippers. She walked into her bathroom to run a brush through her tangled mass of hair and brush her teeth. She headed down into the kitchen, forgoing her robe since she had worn yoga pants and a camisole to bed the night before. She stopped in the doorway of the kitchen and looked around in wonder. Not one item was out of place. There were two full plates on the little table with a bright pink flower in a vase in the middle.

She raised an eyebrow at her son.

"How did you accomplish this?"

He shrugged and his cheeks tinted a little pinkish.

"I boarded down to the diner and picked up breakfast."

"With what money?" she asked.

He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Pops gave it to me last night, before he and Sue left after dinner. He wanted to treat you today."

Bella smiled and shook her head. She had wondered what their little discussion was last night, but she chalked it up to guy talk. She walked over and sat down at the table.

"Thanks," she said, "it was sweet of you both."

He nodded and sat down across from her.

"So, do you have any plans for today?" she asked him.

"Nah, Riley's family won't be getting back from their weekend getaway until later tonight and I'm still kinda pissed at Garrett."

"Language, Jack. And why are you mad at Garrett?" she asked, curious.

"Sorry. About Garrett, I'd rather not say. I'm not that mad, just annoyed."

"C'mon, kid, you know you can tell me anything," she tried to cajole him.

His cheeks tinted a darker pink.

"He mmmmm mmmm mmmm," he mumbled around a forkful of pancake.

"Jack," she said in authoritative tone. He sighed.

"We were joking around about girls on Friday and he called you a Milf."

Bella's eyes widened. She knew that Garrett had had a crush on her, but to call her a Milf? She didn't know if she should be flattered or disturbed that a nine year old had thoughts like that. She cleared her throat.

"Huh, well, I can see where that might be, umm, uncomfortable for you. Did you explain that it upset you?"

"Yeah, and he laughed at me and said it wasn't like you were my real mom anyway," he said sadly. His eyes were downcast and she could read the hurt on his face from across the small table.

"Oh, Jack," she sighed. "I'm sorry that he hurt you like that. He's always had both of his parents so he doesn't know what it's like to lose them. When he grows up a little bit more, he'll understand that love comes in all shapes and sizes. You couldn't be anymore my son than if you shared my blood, baby."

Jack looked up and gave her a watery smile.

"I know, that's why I said I was more annoyed at him than anything. I know you're my mom and I love you totally. It just hurts to think about sometimes."

She slid into the chair that was between them and grabbed his hand, squeezing it tightly.

"I know. You'll always carry your family in your heart. That will never go away, no matter who else you let in. One day, we'll find them. I'm sure of it. You can't lose hope, but you also can't stop life from moving on. We'll stick through it together. We're a team, right?"

He looked up at her and smiled.

"Yeah, we're a team. I love you, Mom."

"I love you, Jack. So much."

She pulled her plate in front of her and opted to stay next to Jack while they ate. When she was finished, she sat back and cocked her head to the side in thought.

"How about we clean up, get dressed and take the Aston for a little road trip? Maybe we can drive down to Olympia or something?"

"That sounds cool," Jack nodded, "but I'll clean up while you get ready. It's still your day."

She smiled and kissed him on the cheek before heading back upstairs. As she entered her bedroom, her eyes fell on the several picture frames on the wall behind her desk. They were of her and Jack over the years. She sighed and her heart felt heavy. She swore to herself that they would kick their search for his family into high gear. While she had searched privately for his family, Tanya was the one who convinced her not to make a public spectacle out of it. Any media blitz would would probably cause a huge invasion of his life and bring out opportunists who would falsely claim to be his family. There was good chance that it would have done more harm than good.

She resolved to call and talk to Tanya about stepping up and seeing if there was more that they could do to help their search, without completely throwing Jack to the lions. She shook it off for now and decided to jump in the shower quickly so they could get out on the road. There was still a little niggling in the back of her mind, but she pushed it aside for now.

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**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

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_Though I know I'll never lose affection _

_For people and things that went before _

_I know I'll often stop and think about them _

_In my life I love you more_

_ In my life I love you more_


	4. Everything

**AN:** Some pictures and the song used have been added to the Parachute Blog! (Link on my profile)

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**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

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Bella stood quietly between her best friends as Angela's father, Pastor Daniel Webber, addressed the church full of people.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today in the face of this company, to join together Jasper William Whitlock and Mary Alice Brandon in matrimony; which is an honourable and solemn estate and therefore is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently and soberly. Into this estate these two persons present come now to be joined. If any one can show just cause why they may not be lawfully joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

The house of worship became completely silent, apart from the soft sniffles of various family members in attendance.

"Who gives this woman to be married to this man?" Pastor Webber asked after a moment.

"I do," Charlie spoke up, in place of Alice's father, Army Captain John Brandon, who had passed away a number of years ago.

The pastor acknowledged him with a smile and Charlie sat down in between Sue and Alice's mother, Linda.

"Jasper, do you take Alice for your lawful wedded wife, to live in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love, honour, comfort, and cherish her from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto her for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," he spoke reverently, staring into Alice's eyes.

"Alice, do you take Jasper for your lawful wedded husband, to live in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love, honour, comfort, and cherish him from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto him for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," she responded, beaming up at Jasper.

"At this time, Miss Isabella Swan would like to share a few words."

Bella blushed slightly and swallowed nervously. She handed Angela her bouquet and carefully stepped up to the pulpit. She smiled and ran her gaze over the small crowd of people that filled the little church before settling onto Alice and Jasper, who looked at her with matching smiles on their faces.

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of Being and ideal Grace. I love thee to the level of everyday's Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight. I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;  
I love thee with the passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints, - I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life! – and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death. I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise."

She looked up at her friends once again, tears blurring her vision slightly. Alice caught her eye and mouthed the word 'I love you' to her, which only made her tear issue worse. She looked over at Jack, who was standing next to Jasper as his best man and saw that he was grinning at her proudly.

"Good job, Mom!" he whispered loudly, earning a few chuckles from the people in the front row. His cheeks turned pink in embarrassment and Jasper patted him on the back and smiled, letting him know that it was alright. Alice had originally asked him to be the ring bearer for their ceremony, but later on, Jasper decided to ask him to stand up as his Best Man, considering how close he was to the boy. The fact that they had ended up at Dave & Buster's for his bachelor party was an added bonus.

Pastor Webber turned towards Jasper and prompted him to speak his vows.

"I, Jasper William Whitlock take thee, Mary Alice Brandon to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, honour, and cherish, 'til death do us part, and thereto I plight thee my troth."

"I, Mary Alice Brandon take thee, Jasper William Whitlock to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, honour, and cherish, 'til death do us part, and thereto I plight thee my troth."

"The rings please?" Pastor Webber asked, turning towards Jack. He smiled widely and placed the pair of gold wedding bands into the priest's open palm.

"May this ring be blessed so that he who gives it, and she who wears it, may abide in peace and continue in love until life's end. Jasper, please repeat after me. With this ring I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment."

"With this ring I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment," Jasper spoke softly, staring into Alice's eyes. He gently slid the ring onto her finger.

"May this ring be blessed so that she who gives it, and he who wears it, may abide in peace and continue in love until life's end. Alice, please repeat after me. With this ring I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment."

"With this ring I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment." Alice's hands shook slightly as she slid Jasper's ring on. The moment it was on fully, he wrapped his hands around hers.

"May this couple be prepared to continue to give, be able to forgive, and experience more and more joy with each passing day, with each passing year. Jasper and Alice are now beginning their married life together, we hope that they may have loving assistance from their family, the constant support of friends, and a long life with good health and everlasting love. In so much as they have consented to live forever together in wedlock, and have witnessed the same before this company, having given and pledged their troth, each to the other, and having declared same by the giving and receiving of a ring, I pronounce that they are husband and wife."

Pastor Webber grinned at the happy couple.

"You may now seal the promises you have made with each other with a kiss."

Jasper smiled hugely and leaned down to place a sweet, soft kiss on his new wife's lips.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the loving couple, Mr. and Mrs Whitlock."

Everyone in the pews stood up and clapped. Jasper took Alice's arm in his as their exit music began to play. They turned and made their way down the aisle. Jack held his arm out for Bella as Jasper had for Alice, just moments before. Bella laughed lightly and thread her arm through her son's as they followed the newlyweds out of the church.

...

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

...

Little over two hours later, the Spanish Ballroom at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel was a flurry of activity. Bella stood up at a podium once again, only this time it was to give her Maid of Honor's speech. Since they were so close to each other, plus factoring in that Jack was still only a child, they decided to give their speeches together. Jack pulled over a chair and climbed up on it, so that he was an inch or so taller than Bella now.

"Well, isn't this a change of pace?" she joked, wrapping an arm around Jack ensuring that he was steady upon the chair. A tittering of amusement ran throughout the reception guests.

"Hello once again," she spoke into the microphone. "As some of you know, I'm Bella Swan, Alice's best friend and Maid of Honor." She turned and smiled at Jack, giving him a nod.

"Hi! I'm Jack Swan and I'm Jasper's friend and Best Man. Well, I'm only a kid, so I guess I'm the Best Boy."

Alice and Jasper started cracking up at his precociousness, as well as a good number of the crowd. Bella smiled and continued.

"I've known Alice for just about a decade now, and I have a treasure trove full of embarrassing stories to share on this special occasion."

"Don't you dare, Bella!" Alice called out, trying hard not to laugh. Bella shook her head and grinned at her best friend.

"Allie, my life just wouldn't be the same without you in it. You're kind, compassionate, and loyal. I don't know what I would've become without your influence and forced, yet well-meant, shopping trips. And although I've only known Jasper half that amount of time, I feel just as deeply for him. Both of you are completely amazing people who compliment each other perfectly. As George Eliot once said, 'What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined... to strengthen each other... to be at one with each other in silent unspeakable memories.' "

Jack raised his champagne flute of apple juice and smiled, "To Alice and Jasper!"

Bella laughed lightly and squeezed her arm around his waist.

"Good job, Little Bit," she whispered in his ear. He beamed down at her and then carefully made his way off of the chair. Alice and Jasper walked up to them and embraced Bella and Jack. After a hugs, they made their way to the dance floor to share their first dance as husband and wife. As the strains of Shania Twain's "From This Moment" filtered through the room, Bella and Jack made their way across the room to say hello to Charlie and Sue. Bella sat next to Sue as jack sat next to his Pop and started to yammer in his ear about something or other.

"That was a cute speech," Sue remarked. Bella laughed.

"It was the best that I could come up with. I was so nervous. I honestly wanted to start off with 'Once upon a time,' but I figured Allie would have my head." Bella laughed.

"It was cute regardless," Sue replied.

"Hey, Mom," Jack turned to Bella. She raised an eyebrow in questioning.

"What exactly do they do on a Honeymoon?" he asked innocently.

Bella's eyes widened and her mouth popped open in an 'O' shape.

"Oh, well, they, um," she started to stammer. Charlie let out a full-on belly laugh and Sue giggled.

"It's when a newly married couple go off to spend time together alone and celebrate by themselves. Alice and Jasper are taking a trip to Italy to see some sights and have a vacation," Sue interjected.

"Oh, okay. That makes sense," Jack said, nodding. Bella looked over at Sue and mouthed a silent 'Thank You.'

She knew that the sex talk was coming soon, but she didn't particularly want to hash it out at her best friend's wedding reception. The open chords of Michael Buble's "Everything" started to play and Bella took that as a perfect opportunity to change the subject.

...

_You're a falling star, you're the get away car._

_You're the line in the sand when I go too far._

_You're the swimming pool, on an August day._

_And you're the perfect thing to say._

...

"Jack, would you like to dance?" she asked him. Jack grinned at her and stood up. "Sure, Mom."

They walked out onto the dance floor and Jack held onto Bella's waist loosely. Bella laughed and shook her head, remembering the Ballroom Dancing classes that Alice had made them take along with her, Jasper, Angela and Ben. Jack actually proved to be the quickest learner, moving gracefully across the dance floor. Bella smiled and danced with her son to what she thought was the most perfect song. Jack brought so much joy and love into her life that she hadn't known that she was missing before.

...

_And you play it coy but it's kinda cute._

_Ah, when you smile at me you know exactly what you do._

_Baby don't pretend that you don't know it's true._

_'cause you can see it when I look at you._

_And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times_

_It's you, it's you, you make me sing._

_You're every line, you're every word, you're everything._

_You're a carousel, you're a wishing well,_

_And you light me up, when you ring my bell._

_You're a mystery, you're from outer space,_

_You're every minute of my everyday._

_And I can't believe, that I'm your man,_

_And I get to kiss you baby just because I can._

_Whatever comes our way, ah we'll see it through,_

_And you know that's what our love can do._

_And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times_

_It's you, it's you, you make me sing._

_You're every line, you're every word, you're everything._

_So, la, la, la, la, la, la, la_

_So, la, la, la, la, la, la, la_

_And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times_

_It's you, it's you, you make me sing._

_You're every line, you're every word, you're everything._

_You're every song, and I sing along._

_'Cause you're my everything._

_Yeah, yeah_

_So, la, la, la, la, la, la, la_

_So, la, la, la, la, la, la, la _

...

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

...

As soon as the garter had been caught by Ben and the bride's bouquet by Angela, Alice and Jasper cut into their four tiered vanilla bean cake. The delicate piping was all done by hand with over top of the cream colored fondant. It was simple, yet intricate and elegant. Not to mention delicious.

A little while later, Jack was off dancing with Alice and Jasper was mingling with guests when Bella felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to see a pair of brown haired, hazel eyed 16 year olds grinning from ear to ear. Angela's twin brothers, Isaac and Joshua, were well on their way to becoming heart breakers.

"Bella, would you like to dance?"

"Do you want to dance, Bella?"

Both boys spoke at the same time and then turned to glare at each other.

"I was here first," Joshua exclaimed.

"Get out of here, I was!" Isaac argued back.

Bella bit her bottom lip, trying to hold back her laughter. Angela snuck up on them and popped them both lightly on the back of their heads.

"Angie," they cried out in unison and then glared at each other again.

Angela shook her head and wagged her finger at them.

"Scoot. Go find someone else to bother instead of Bella," she admonished them.

Bella smiled apologetically at the boys who just shrugged and disappeared into the crowd. When they were out of sight, Bella broke out in peals of laughter in which Angela soon joined.

"Oh, wow, did you see their faces?" she laughed. "I almost felt bad coming over here to rescue you."

Bella swung her arm around Angela's shoulder.

"My hero," she sighed. Angela shook her head.

"Come on," she responded. "Let's find our men. It's almost time for Allie and Jazz to head out."

Bella nodded and they made their way, arm in arm, over to the table where Jack and Ben were now sitting with Charlie, Sue and Linda.

"Oh, Bella," Linda exclaimed as soon as she caught sight of her. "Your little boy is just darling. Smart as a whip and so charming!"

She grinned and then reached down to ruffle her son's hair.

"You know," Charlie interjected, "he gets it all from me."

Everyone, including even Jack, broke out into laughter at that comment.

"What?" Charlie asked. "What was so funny?"

Sue leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Nothing dear."

Charlie furrowed his brow in confusion, but when no one was looking he shot a wink to Bella. She shook her head and smiled at her father. She sat down next to him and toed off her high heels. Resting her head against her father's shoulder, she sighed and closed her eyes. It had been an exhausting day, both physically and emotionally.

"You okay there, baby girl?" Charlie asked softly.

"I'm perfect, Dad. Just a little tired." She yawned quietly behind her hand.

"Do you want Sue and I to take Jack for the night, so that you can get some rest?"

"Nah, it's fine. We have a room upstairs so we should be fine. Are you and Sue staying as well?"

She felt him nod. "Yeah, we'll head back home in the morning."

Bella yawned again, this time a little larger.

"Oh, excuse me," she remarked.

"I guess that's our cue to hit the road, huh, Bells?" she heard Alice say and popped open her eyes. She gave her friend a lazy grin.

"Yep. Hit the bricks, Mrs. Whitlock. You've got plane to catch, Pixie."

Bella stood up and walked over to hug Alice.

"Make sure you don't burn the shop down, okay?" Alice whispered into her ear. Bella pulled back and lightly smacked her on the shoulder.

"Stop teasing me," she laughed. Alice grinned and turned to say her goodbyes to everyone else. Soon, those who were still around waved as Alice and Jasper left the building to get started on their Honeymoon.

Bella looked down at Jack, who's arm was around her waist, just in time to see him yawn. She reached for her father's arm and looked at his wrist watch. It was almost nine p.m.

"Well, we're going to hit the hay, folks," she said to Charlie, Sue, Angela and Ben. "Maybe we can meet up tomorrow for breakfast?"

Everyone nodded or spoke their agreements and Bella quickly found herself unlocking the door to their two bedroom suite.

"C'mon, kiddo, let's get ready for bed."

Jack smiled at her, bleary-eyed and walked into his bedroom as Bella headed into the bathroom. After she was finished changing and brushing her teeth, she went to find out what Jack was up to. The sight that awaited her in his room made her heart swell. He was lying face down on his bed, fast asleep. All he had managed to take off was his shoes and suit jacket. She walked over and pulled the comforter out from underneath him. She loosened his shirt and removed his ties before covering him up. She kissed him on the forehead and whispered, "I love you, Jack."

"Love you, too, Mom," he mumbled in his sleep.

She smiled and headed to her own bed for good night's rest.

...

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

...

**AN:** The poem used was How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43) by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.


	5. The Letter : EPOV

**AN**: Hiya! I'm still kinda rough with 1st person POV, so bear with me! Also, I know this is the shortest chapter so far, but keep in mind that you've gotten two other chapters out of me this week, lol! There **will** be other EPOVs coming down the line, I promise!

The song inspiration is up on the Blog!

...

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

...

I groaned and tossed my keys on the table by the front door of our penthouse apartment. It had been the longest day in recent history that I had been at the office. I had been working my ass off trying to get my new company off of the ground. Ignoring everything and everyone in my life in order to get through the day, without thinking about _him_. My little boy. My God, I missed him and did everything I could to put it out of my mind. I had to stay busy or my mind would fold in upon itself. But it was in these quiet moments, when I was all alone, that the pain would return at full force.

Looking at my watch, I noticed that it's almost nine o'cock in the evening. Victoria should be home by now.

"Vic?" I called out.

No response came, so I decided to look around. For the past six months or so, our relationship had been non-existent. To be honest, it had never really been a healthy relationship to start off with. Victoria had been my first girlfriend, my first everything. It was difficult dealing with her and her mood swings after finding out she was pregnant, but I wanted to make it work. I wanted to bring our child into this world with a loving, complete family. Vicki made it quite clear from the beginning that that wasn't what she wanted, but I held onto my hopes.

Once Jack was born, none of that mattered anymore. Once I looked into his eyes for the first time, I felt my universe shift and I knew without a doubt what my place in this world was. I was this little beings father, and I would protect him, love him and teach him everything I knew. I would help him achieve his dreams and teach him how to play baseball. Since he's been missing, my life has been empty. My wife's coldness only exacerbated the void that I felt in Jackson's absence.

The apartment was completely empty so I ran my hands through my hair and sighed. I didn't know whether or not to be thankful that she wasn't here. Undoing the cuff links on my dress shirt, I tossed them haphazardly onto the night stand.

"Goddammit," I cursed as I watched one of them bounce onto the floor and under the bed. Kneeling down, I reached my hand under the bed and ran my fingers across the carpet to feel for it. I grasped the small object, but as I was pulling my hand out, something crinkled and brushed against my skin. I placed the cuff link on the table gently this time, and unfolded the piece of paper that had been found.

My gut wrenched and my anger sang through my veins as I stared at a masculine writing that was clearly not mine.

_Meet me at the hotel early this time. I have plans for you, beautiful. _

_You're starting to get sloppy again, Vic. Make sure he doesn't find out._

My jaw clenched and my hand crumpled the paper as it turned into a fist. I started to breathe heavily and I knew I was about to explode. Panicking, I looked around and felt the room getting smaller. My chest started to hurt from the effort it was taking me to suck air into my lungs. Wrenching my cell phone out of my pocket, I dialed the only person who could help me right now.

"Yello."

"Em," I gasped to my older brother. "I need you."

...

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

...

Emmett showed up about fifteen minutes later and pulled the note out of my clenched fists. His eyes flicked over the handful of words over and over, astonishment written across his face.

"What the fuck is this?" he yelled. "Are you kidding me? Where is she, Edward? Where is the little bitch?"

"I don't know," I whispered. My heart was shattered all over again. Our marriage wasn't perfect, but I honestly hadn't thought Victoria capable of cheating on me. For awhile now it seemed by the tone of the words written down. Em strode over to the closet and pulled my gym bag out and tossed it on the bed.

"Pack it. You're coming with me. We'll come back tomorrow and get the rest of your shit."

I numbly stood up and walked over to my dresser and blindly tossed some clothes and toiletries into the bag. The more that what was happening seeped into my brain, the more I felt confined and I needed to get out of there. My anger was bubbling under the surface and my disgust for her was filling my chest. How could she do this? How long had it been going on? I resolved to get some answers from wherever I could once we got to Em's house.

The rest of the night was a blur until I found myself walking into the condo that Em shared with his girlfriend, Rosalie. She was sitting on the couch waiting for us. He must have called and explained everything to her because she walked over and wrapped me in a hug.

"It'll be okay, Ed," she whispered in my ear. "We're all here for you."

I felt myself begin to crumble at her words and had to sink down onto the couch before my legs gave out on me. Within moments, my sobs echoed through the living room as my brother and Rose held me from either side. It was too much. Victoria's betrayal. Jack being gone. My life had gone straight to hell and I had no idea how to fix it.

I don't remember falling asleep, but when I woke the next morning, my head was throbbing and my eyes were drier than a desert. When I sat up, I saw my parents sitting on the couch across from the one I'm sitting on. My mom rushed over and hugged me tightly. My heart broke again as I listened to her little sniffles and I knew she was crying.

"Son, I am so sorry," Carlisle told me. "What do you want to do?"

I ran my hands through my hair and shook my head because I wasn't really sure. Victoria's parents bought the apartment for us as a wedding gift, so I wanted nothing to do with it.

"You can come stay with us," Mom said sternly. "We'll go over to your place today and pack up as much as we can and you can take the third floor of the house for now."

I nodded, knowing that this was more than likely the best course of action. As much as I didn't like admitting it, I needed my family right now. I needed a shoulder to lean on and someone to make sure that I didn't go too far and strangle Victoria in my fury. After a quick breakfast, Emmett, my father and I drove back to the penthouse. There was no sign of Victoria still, so I assumed that she had never came home. After about an hour's work, all of the things that I gave a damn about were packed and ready to go. As we were making our way out the apartment, I stopped in my tracks as we passed Jack's room.

"Stop," I called to my dad. He looked back at me in confusion, until he noticed whose room I was standing in front of and he nodded at me.

"Emmett," he called to my brother.

"Yeah, Dad?"

"Take these down to the car and bring up a couple more boxes. We're bringing Jack's things as well."

Em looked at me sadly and nodded before heading back downstairs. My Dad walked over and placed his hand on my shoulder and squeezed.

"I know the perfect place for everything, son. Don't worry about anything."

Once everything was loaded into Em's jeep and my Dad's car, I went back up to the apartment all alone to leave Victoria a letter of her own.

...

_Victoria,_

_By the time you read this, I'll be gone. I found the letter that you misplaced and now I know. After back checking through our credit card bills, I found all of the charges to the Hilton. After a few calls and well-greased hands, I found out that you're never alone and always with the same man. I hope you're happy now, since I obviously wasn't enough for you. I'll have papers drawn up for a divorce and your relinquishment of your rights as Jackson's mother. If you want this kept quiet, I suggest you consider not giving me a hard time on either of these issues._

_Edward_

...

I looked around our bedroom and in one last fit of anger, I started picking things up and throwing them. A vase against the wall. Smash. The knick knacks littered across the dressers. Crash. The pillows and blankets torn from the bed. Rip. The mattress flipped over. Tear. By the time I was finished, the room was completely trashed, papers and clothes littered the floor. My anger was far from quenched, but I felt a small sense of accomplishment. I left my letter sitting on top of the ruined bed and I went back down to where my brother and father were waiting.

As we drove off and headed towards home, my heart began to harden and I felt the cracks filling in with anger and remorse and devastation. We needed to find Jack soon. I didn't know how much longer I could hold out before I broke beyond repair.

...

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

...

_**The Letter by Hoobastank**_

_**...**_

Meet me there at midnight, same place we always go

You're absolutely sure he doesn't know

...

_Those words jump off the letter that I found behind our bed_

_Haunting me they echo in my head, in my head_

_It's too late to try and work it out_

_There's no way to turn this thing around_

_It's all there in the letter that I've found_

_I've memorized it line for line_

_Too bad that letter isn't mine, no_

_..._

When can I then see you, I've been counting down the days

I promise you our secret will be safe

...

_No, I just can't continue reading through my tears_

_The beating of the letter is so clear, so clear_

_It's too late to try and work it out_

_There's no way to turn this thing around_

_It's all there in the letter that I've found_

_I've memorized it line for line_

_Too bad that letter isn't mine_

_..._

_You wanted me to find it, never tried to hide it_

_Running never fades those words are here to stay_

_I hope you find this letter I'm writing you today_

_..._

_These will be the last words that I say_

_It's too late to try and work it out_

_There's no way to turn this thing around_

_It's all here in this letter that you've found_

_It's too late to try and work it out_

_There's no way to turn this thing around_

_It's all here in this letter that you've found_

_..._

_So memorize it line for line_

_I won't be there to say goodbye_

_..._


	6. Save Me San Francisco

**AN:** Just a warning, this is the shortest one so far. It's just the way it flowed for me, sorry!

Music is up on the Blog! (Link on my profile!)

...

**"Save Me San Francisco"**

...

_**April 5th, 2010**_

The wind blew through Jack and Bella' hair as they drove dove Highway 101, just outside of Santa Rosa, California, about an hour away from San Francisco. Bella glanced at Jack from the corner of her eye and smiled. His head was bobbing with music blaring from the car speakers and he had his hands raised straight up, feeling the air push resistantly across his fingers. It literally melted her heart to see him so care-free and having fun.

Jack was on Spring Break this week, so they decided to use the time to go on the road trip that he had been begging for since they bought Nevaeh. When they left the small town of Eureka earlier this morning, the air was warm and the skies clear blue as they said goodbye to the Ship's Inn Bed and Breakfast. The weather was gorgeous so they drove with the top down. It had been just under a twelve hour drive from Port Angeles to the small, Northern California town, so they had made pit stops in Portland and Grants Pass, Oregon. They spent the night at the small inn before getting back on the road to their main destination, which had been inspired by the very song that was now playing.

_..._

_I used to love the tenderloin, _

_until I made some tender coin._

_And then I met some ladies from Marin. _

_We took the highway to the one, _

_up the coast to catch some sun _

_that left me with these blisters on my skin._

_..._

_Don't know what I was on, _

_but I think it grows in Oregon, _

_so I kept on goin going on right through. _

_I drove into Seattle rain, _

_fell in love then missed the train _

_that could have took me right back home to you._

_..._

_I've been high, I've been low._

_I've been yes and I've been oh hell no! _

_I've been rock 'n roll and disco._

_Won't you save me San Francisco?_

_..._

_Every day so caffeinated,_

_I wish they were Golden Gated._

_Fillmore couldn't feel more miles away._

_So wrap me up return to sender, _

_lets forget this five year bender. _

_Take me to my city by the bay!_

_..._

_I never knew all that I had, _

_now Alcatraz don't sound so bad. _

_At least they have a hell of a fine Merlot. _

_If I could wish upon a star, _

_I would hitch a cable car _

_to the place that I can always call my own!_

_..._

_I've been high I've been low, _

_I've been yes and I've been oh, hell no! _

_I've been rock 'n roll and disco. _

_Won't you save me San Francisco? _

_I've been up, I've been down, _

_I've been so damn lost since you're not around, _

_I've been reggae and calypso._

_Won't you save me San Francisco?_

_..._

_To tell you the truth _

_I miss everything, everything._

_It's a wild, wild beautiful world, _

_but there's a wide eyed girl back there _

_and she means everything, everything._

_..._

_I've been stop. _

_I've been go. _

_I've been yes and I've been oh, hell no! _

_I've been rock and roll and disco. _

_Won't you save me San Francisco?_

_..._

_I've been up, I've been down. _

_I've been so damn lost _

_since you're not around. _

_I've been reggae and calypso. _

_Won't you save me San Francisco? _

_..._

As the song drew to a close, Jack reached over lowered the volume. He pushed his sunglasses onto of his head and shifted in his seat so that he was turned towards his mother.

"Hey, Ma?"

"Yup?"

"Where's Marin?"

"I don't have the slightest clue, Little Bit," she laughed. "How about you Google it?"

Excited by the prospect, Jack reached around and dug in the back seat until he pulled out Bella's laptop bag. After a few minutes of clicking, she heard a quiet, "A-ha!"

"Well?"

"It's a town on the coast between here and San Fran."

"Oh, cool. Is it on our way? Do you want to stop there?"

"Nah, it looks like it's out of the way. I'm too excited to get to the beaches," he laughed lightly. "How about we check it out on our way home?"

She hummed her agreement and continued down the highway, listening to the music playing lowly in the back ground and the clicking of keys as Jack kept typing away on the laptop.

"Hey, did you know that Alcatraz was a military prison during the Civil War?" He looked over at Bella with wide eyes. "That's, like, forever ago!" He exclaimed. "Do you think we'll able to hit all of the places in the song?"

"I don't see why not. We have five days to see all that we can. We can take a ferry to go on a tour of Alcatraz and ride a cable car somewhere. That leaves, what? The Golden Gate Bridge and Fillmore."

She focused back on the road while Jack started tapping the keys once again. After a few minutes, he spoke up again.

"The Fillmore is a famous music venue on the corner of Fillmore and Gaery Sts. Think that's what he was talking about?"

"I don't know babe, but it makes sense. Why don't you check out it's website and see what's playing there? Maybe we can check out a concert."

"Hey! That chick you like is there on the eighth. I don't recognize any of the other names, but I don't think I'd like someone named Big Head Todd or Anti-Flag."

Bella laughed and shook her head. "I think you're right, kiddo. Which chick are you talking about?"

"Ani DiFranco," he replied.

"Really?" Bella squealed. "That's awesome. I've never seen her in concert before. Looks like we lucked out."

Little over an hour later, they found themselves half-way across the Golden Gate Bridge with Jack bouncing up and down in his seat excitedly.

"Oh my god, Mom! What would happen if the bridge, just I don't know, fell?"

"Well, I guess it's a good thing I had us take swimming lessons, huh, Little Bit?"

"Yeah, not funny, Ma."

"I wasn't trying to be funny," she laughed, "just practical."

Jack shook his head and laughed. "You're still corny."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

He shifted his body and gazed out in awe over the water.

...

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

...

Bella dropped their bags on the floor and flopped ungracefully down on the bed in their hotel room. She groaned and stretched out on the bed after kicking off her shoes. Jack bounced across the room, inspecting everything like a very hyper Tigger.

"Mom! Look, there's a jacuzzi tub!"

"Mom! Look, there's a mini fridge!"

"Mom! Look, there's candy on the pillow!"

"Mom! Look, there's a door to go outside!"

"Mom! Look, there are naked people on one of the other balconies!"

Bella jumped up and flew over to the open door to drag him back into the room. He stood there cracking up and fighting for breath.

"Gotcha," he managed to gasp out. She put her hands on her hips and quirked an eyebrow. Unable to keep it up, she cracked a smile and shook her head.

"You're going to give me gray hair one day, kid," she muttered as she rested her hip against the railing and closed her eyes, breathing in the salty air that blew in from the sea.

She opened her eyes and watched Jack leaning on his arms, looking out over the beach.

"Well, what do want to do first, Little Bit? Nap, beach or exploring? You know my vote is for nap."

He laughed and shook his head. "Your vote is always nap."

"I'm getting old. What can I say? You wear me out."

"How about we check out the beach and then nap? Maybe we can go exploring when we hunt for dinner?"

"A very diplomatic response, young one. How can I say no to that?"

He flashed her his cutest smile and she laughed.

"Alright, kiddo, let's get into our suits and hit the beach!"

...

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

...

Two hours later, Bella slowly eased her burning shoulders under the cold spray of the shower. It figures she'd forget all about sunscreen. Luckily, Jack tanned nicely instead of burning. She leaned her forehead against the shower wall and smiled, remembering how much fun he had running through the ocean spray and playing in the waves. She had just barely talked him out of trying to surf by promising that they'd try another day before they left.

She remembered how his eyes went wide when they first stepped onto the beach.

...

_"What's wrong, kiddo?" she asked._

_"Umm, Katy Perry wasn't kidding about California girls, was she?" He sounded dazed._

_Bella shook her head and prayed that puberty wouldn't hit early._

_..._

He was currently sprawled out across his bed passed out. She had been lucky to at least have gotten him in the shower before he got sand in between his sheets. She turned off the water and gingerly dried off before throwing on a tank top and shorts. She pulled back her sheets and promptly fell asleep herself.

When she awoke again, the sun was setting and sent a river of red and orange light through the open drapes. She looked over at the clock and saw that it was almost seven pm. She sat up and stretched, happy that her sunburn didn't feel as bad as it did earlier.

"Finally," Jack sighed in fake exasperation. She turned towards his voice and saw him standing in the doorway of the balcony.

"Sorry, kiddo. Were you waiting long? You could've woken me up."

He smiled and shook his head. "I'm just teasing. I just got up a little while ago."

He walked over and hopped up on her bed and laid his head on her shoulder.

"Are you hungry?" She asked and responded with a nod.

"Starving."

"Alrighty then. Let's get dressed and do some exploring!"

Jack happily jumped off of the bed and dug through his suitcase for something to wear. She sat back and watched him for a moment, happy and content. She shook her head slightly and got up to change as well.

...

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

...

**_April 9th, 2010_**

Four fun-packed days later, Bella and Jack found themselves leaving San Francisco and heading towards Marin. They stopped for lunch there and after exploring a little bit, it was back on the road for them. Overall, their trip had been a fantastic time. The only down side had been on their tour of Alcatraz. Towards the end of the tour, one of the other tourists thought it would be funny to scare the hell out of the little boy. After threatening the male portion of his anatomy, Bella was fairly sure that he wouldn't be pulling a stunt like that any time soon.

The concert at the Fillmore was a great experience, but they ended up cutting out earlier when she noticed Jack yawning a few times. She tried to spare him any embarrassment and made him think that she was exhausted as well. She figured that it was a small sacrifice to pay. The rest of their time they spent just sight seeing and soaking up the California sun. Bella was much more comfortable after she remember to buy sunblock.

This time around, they stopped in Eugene, OR, to spend the night at an inn and were on the road bright and early the next day. They made one last stop in Olympia for lunch at the New Moon Cafe. Thanks to Jack's Google-fu, they walked two blocks down to visit Danger Room Comics. As Jack flipped through stacks of Spider-man back issues, Bella felt a chill go down her spine, as if someone was watching her. She turned her head and looked around the store, she only noticed a handful of people, and not one of them was paying her any attention. She shrugged and walked over to sift through their dvd stock while she waited for Jack.

She couldn't shake the odd feeling that had lodged itself inside of her chest, though. She looked up and saw a flash of black hair through the store's front window and the chill she felt grew stronger. She went back to Jack to see if she could hurry him along. All she wanted to do was get home safe and sound at this point.

Jack looked up as Bella approached and smiled happily at his mother, which instantly made her feel calmer. A few minutes later and they were back on the road. Just two more hours to go and they would be home, safe and sound. Neither Bella nor Jack could wait until they got home to share all of their trip memories with Sue and Charlie. Bella handed Jack her iPhone and told him to choose the driving music this time. She almost rolled her eyes as Lady Gaga started playing, but she smiled and just drove on, singing along with him.

_..._

_We are the crowd we're c-comin' out_

_Got my flash on it's true_

_Need that picture of you_

_It so magical we'd be so fantastical_

_..._

_Leather and jeans garage glamorous_

_Not sure what it means_

_But this photo of us it don't have a price_

_Ready for those flashing light_

_'Cause you know that baby I_

_..._

_I'm your biggest fan I'll follow you until you love me_

_Papa paparazzi_

_Baby there's no other superstar you know that I'll be_

_Your papa paparazzi_

_..._

_Promise I'll be kind_

_But I won't stop until that boy is mine_

_Baby you'll be famous chase you down until you love me_

_Papa paparazzi_

_..._


	7. This Is Halloween

**"This Is Halloween"**

...

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

...

_**October 30, 2009**_

...

Jack looked over at Bella and grinned.

"Well, what do you think?"

His face was painted a pale green color with black shading, but what made him look truly gruesome was the fake blood dripping down his cheek and one corner of his mouth. He was wearing clothes that were tattered and torn, as well as blood spattered.

Bella grimaced and shook her head. It reminded her of a poem from story book they had read a few nights previous.

Zombie Samba Zombie Mamba Mamba Mambo Zombie Zoo Rhumba Rhumba Zombie Samba Zombie zimbie Bambi boo

"Well, Alice certainly did a good job of turning you into a zombie." She wrinkled her nose. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Jack nodded enthusiastically and ran back upstairs to admire himself in the mirror. Alice laughed loudly when she saw Bella shiver as Jack ran past her.

"Not funny, Allie!" Bella laughed.

"Oh my gosh, Bells! You should have seen your face. it was priceless."

"I can't help it. He looks so creepy. I'm glad this is just for school and not what he'll be wearing tomorrow when we go Trick or Treating."

Alice clapped her hands excitedly.

"I still can't believe you talked him into being Sally and Jack. He was dead set against it last year."

Bella laughed lightly. "He owes me. He's picks the costumes out every year. Remember the last couple of years?"

_..._

_ Boys and girls of every age _

_Wouldn't you like to see something strange?_

_Come with us and you will see _

_This, our town of Halloween_

_This is Halloween, this is Halloween _

_Pumpkins scream in the dead of night _

_..._

_**October 31, 2008**_

...

"Jaaaack," Bella whined from the top of the stairs. "I don't wanna be Robin. Why couldn't I have been Catwoman?"

"Oh, come on down and stop complaining, Mom. I'm Batman, Alice is Harley and Jasper is the Joker. Catwoman would have totally thrown the hero to villain ratio out of balance, sheesh."

Bella rolled her eyes and made her way downstairs, tugging down the too short skirt that Alice had forced her in. At least she had given in and let Bella wear a pair of tight green leggings underneath. It was chilly as hell this year.

When Charlie caught sight of his little girl in a spandex red and green outfit, his eyes almost popped out of his head.

"Just what in the hell are you wearing?" he asked gruffly. "What are you supposed to be? An elf?"

Jack put his hands on his hips and rolled his eyes. "Didn't I just say that she was Robin?"

Charlie looked at the boy incredulously. "Last time I checked, Robin was a boy, kid."

Jack shook his head. "Not all of them. Stephanie Brown was Robin for a little while. Now she's Batgirl."

Bella turned and gave Jack an annoyed look. "Then why couldn't I have been Batgirl?"

The boy shrugged. "Batman needs a Robin."

Jasper did his best to stifle his laughter, careful as to not smudge his face paint.

"Well, the kid does have a point," he snickered and Bella rolled her eyes.

Alice flitted over to adjust her skirt and top. "You look great, Bells!"

"Okay, okay," Bella grumbled. "Let's get this show on the road."

_... _

_This is Halloween, this is Halloween _

_Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!_

_In this town we call home _

_Everyone hail to the pumpkin song_

_In this town, don't we love it now? _

_Everybody's waiting for the next surprise_

_ .._.

_**October 31, 2007**_

...

"Jack!" Bella hollered. "Be careful with that bat!"

He smiled sheepishly and ceased his swinging of the small bat he was carrying as part of his Halloween costume. The Seattle Mariners jersey that he worse was two sizes too big and hung loosely off of him, falling almost to his baseball pant-clad knees. The cleats that he wore clunked loudly against the pavement as they went door to door. Charlie, who had been walking ahead of them, turned around and chuckled. Jack's hero-worship of his adoptive grandfather caused him to choose baseball as this year's costume. Charlie wore a black Mariners jersey and a pair of jeans, carrying a baseball glove and a large sack that Jack emptied his Trick-or-Treat bucket into as it filled up.

Bella rolled her eyes and shivered into her black jacket, which partly covered her black and white pinstriped baseball costume. Unlike Jack and Charlie's outfits, hers was generic and bought from a costume store. She wasn't as into the sport as the boys, so she was just fine with the un-originality. Fifteen minutes and a dozen houses later, they were almost at their final destination, Alice and Jasper's house. Bella trailed behind slightly and watched as Jack started to swing the bat back and forth in front of him.

"Jack, if I have to tell you one more time, I'm taking the bat and chucking it into the woods," she growled. Jack's eyes widened and he immediately clutched the bat to his chest.

"Sorry!"

Charlie chuckled yet again and Bella's annoyance grew.

"You think this is funny?" she called out.

"You're damn right I do, baby girl. I remember doing this with you when you were little. One year you had this fairy wand and kept twirling and smacking me in the leg with that thing. BY the end of the night, I wanted to snap it in half. The next day, I hid it and told you that the Halloween fairy took it back."

Bella shook her head and laughed. "That was a mean thing to do. I don't remember that," she mused.

He turned and shot her a pointed look and jerked his head in Jack's direction. "Sometimes not remembering things is a blessing."

Bella smiled sadly and nodded in understanding. They had been discussing memories just a few days ago in a family therapy session. She couldn't help but agree that some things were better off left alone.

When they reached the Whitlock's door, Alice creepily opened the door before they had a chance to open it. She was dressed in a black dress with vampire fangs.

"Velcome to our lair," she spoke as she motioned for them to come inside. Jack giggled and Bella rolled her eyes.

"How come you get to be a vamp, and I got stuck as an outfielder?" Bella grumbled.

"No, Mom, you're a catcher, not an outfielder."

Bella turned and looked at the boy as if he had lost his mind. "What's the difference? We're just in costume."

"Seriously, Mom?"

"Yeah, seriously, Bells?" Jasper laughed as he came out of the kitchen.

Bella threw her hands up in the air and walked over to commiserate with Alice, who was shaking her head in sympathy.

"Boys, you can't live with them, and you can't trade them for shoes."

Bella's eyes widened and she gaped at her best friend. "Oh my god, I'm surrounded by insanity."

_... _

_Our man Jack is King of the Pumpkin patch_

_ Everyone hail to the Pumpkin King, now!_

_This is Halloween, this is Halloween_

_ Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!_

_In this town we call home_

_ Everyone hail to the pumpkin song_

_ ..._

_**October 31, 2009**_

...

"Moooom," Jack whined. "The head doesn't fit right."

Bella closed her car door and looked over at her son. She cocked her head to the side, trying not to mess up her ragdoll wig at the same time.

"It looks great, Jack. It's not my fault you have a big head."

"Ha, ha, ha," the boy responded in a monotone voice. "Do we really have to be these?"

Bella walked around to the other side of the car and smiled at him.

"Come on, Little Bit, it'll be fun. You promised you'd be nice." She stuck out her bottom lip and pouted at him.

Jack snorted and giggled. "Fine, stop making that face though!"

Bella laughed and reached for his hand, before walking up the path to the Kingston Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch at Sunrise Hill Farm in Kingston, Washington, which was about a ninety minute drive from their house. They were planning on meeting Alice, Jasper, Ben and Angela here to attend the annual Halloween costume contest and then check out the haunted hayride and corn maze. She caught sight of Ben and Angela first, dressed like a pair of pirates. As soon as Angela caught sight of Bella and Jack, she waved them over. Sitting on the ground next to them was Jasper, decked out in a multi-shades of brown suit and a colorful scarf shapened into a bow around his neck, along with a brownish top hat. His face was painted white with pink around his lime green colored eyes and his normally blond hair was now frizzed out and orange.

Bella bit her lip and tried to stifle a laugh. "What are you supposed to be Jazz?"

He stood up slowly and brushed his bottom off. "I'm the Mad Hatter, my dear." He took off his hat and bowed with a flourish. Alice traipsed over in a light blue and white dress with a blond wig upon her head. Bella shot her friend a confused look and pointed to Jasper's hair.

"Umm, why orange?" she asked.

Alice let out a tinkling laugh. "That's what the new Mad Hatter is going to look like. There are trailers all over YouTube. Where have you been Bella? Johnny Depp is going to play him." Allie sighed.

"Okay then," Bella said and turned to Jack. "How about we sign in for the costume contest and then hit the corn maze?"

Jack nodded enthusiastically and they made their way over to the registration tent.

A few hours later, the six of them found themselves in cart will with hay being pulled by a tractor throughout the farm grounds. The sun was in the middle of setting as the driver started telling stories of how the the pumpkin patch was haunted by the ghost of a murdered farmer. Jack, who had long since removed the Jack Skellington head, rested his temple against Bella's shoulder. She turned her face towards him slightly and smiled.

"Are you okay, Little Bit? Not getting scared are you?"

When Jack didn't respond Bella looked down at him fully. His eyes were staring off into the distance, not focusing on anything in particular.

"Jack?" She nudged him and his eyes flew up to hers.

"Yeah?"

"I asked if you were getting scared."

"Oh," he responded before shaking his head. "No, I'm fine."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I mean, there are worse things out there to be scared of besides an old ghost story, right?"

Bella looked at him thoughtfully, wishing at that moment that she could delve into the boy's innermost thoughts.

"Are you okay, Jack?" she asked quietly. He gave her a bright smile and nodded.

"I'm fine, Mom. You worry too much."

"It's only because I love you, kid. It's my job as your mom to worry about you."

Jack smiled wistfully and nodded.

"I promise that I'm fine. I'm sorry I gave you a hard time about the costume. I had a lot of fun today."

Bella bumped him on the shoulder. "That's just because we won first place."

Jack smirked. "I think my cuteness helped out, too, you know."

Bella laughed. "I'm sure it did, charmer."

She wrapped her arm around his shoulder and sighed happily, kissing him on top of his head. As much as she hated what had happened to him when he was a child, she'd never trade a moment of her time with him.

...

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

...

**AN: **Happy Halloween!


	8. Broken : EmPOV

**AN:** Many thanks to HMonster4, AccioBourbon and TheHeartOfLife for hosting the 30 Days of Emmett and allowing me to be a part of it!

Music and Pic are up on the Blog! (Link is on my profile!)

**"Broken"**

...

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

...

_**August 13, 2005**_

...

The sun beat down, warming my skin, as I sat on our front porch steps in the muggy Chicago air. Yawning, I looked at my watch again and wondered where the hell Ed was. When I had offered to babysit his kid for him, I didn't know it would be at the ball crack of dawn. Okay, maybe it wasn't that early, but thanks to my classes, I wasn't used to being awake before noon anymore.

"Finally," I muttered as my brother's silver Volvo pulled up in front of the house. He hadn't even turned off the car, before the little ball of energy was flying into my arms.

"Unca Em!" Jack shouted, right in my ear. Wincing, I pulled away and managed a smile for the tyke.

"Hey, Squirt. Ready to spend the day with Uncle Em?"

He nodded enthusiastically, his green eyes bright with happiness. Edward jogged up the path and dropped the kid's backpack next to us on the stairs.

"Thank you so much, Emmett. Victoria had a meeting today, and I couldn't get out of work. Mom said she'd be back around four."

I nodded. "It's cool, bro. Jack will be fine."

Ed smiled and squatted down in front of us and ruffled Jack's hair. "Be good for Uncle Em, okay son?"

Squirt nodded and grinned, his reddish brown hair flopping into his eyes.

"Okay, Daddy! I luh you!"

Ed kissed the top of his head and replied, "I love you, too, Jack."

He stood up and headed back for his car. "Thanks again, Em!" he shouted as he pulled away and Jack and I waved goodbye.

"So, what should we do now, Squirt?"

Jack tapped his chin in thought, comically. His eyes lit up and he started to bounce on my lap.

"Ugh, kid, watch the family jewels!" I muttered as I barely escaped a toddler knee to my nuts.

"Let's swim, like Nemo! Pease? Pease? Pease?"

He batted those big eyes at me, and I could help but smile. "Sure, kid, let's see if Grandma left out your kiddie pool."

As we made our way through the living room, Jack pulled on my jeans.

"What's up, kiddo?"

"Did MeMe make chocwate puddin?" he asked, gazing up at me with a hopeful look in his eyes.

"Uh, lemme check."

After making a pit-stop to check the fridge and finding no pudding, I figured a trip to the store wouldn't hurt. I picked the munchkin up under one arm and grabbed the keys to my Jeep with the other. I stood the giggling child on the ground next to the Jeep and opened the door. He peered inside before turning back to me with a confused look.

"What?" I asked cluelessly.

"No seat."

I scratched my head and pointed inside. "Uh, yeah, those are called seats, kid."

Jack shook his head and walked over to Mom's SUV.

"No, Unca Em. Jack's seat!" he exclaimed pointing at the driver's side passenger window. Curiosity took hold, and I peered into the back seat.

"Shit," I whispered under my breath as I came face to face with a gray and black car seat.

"Uh oh! I gonna tell MeMe that you said bad word, Unca Em!" Jack said in a sing-song voice.

"Huh, well, how about we make a deal, munchkin?"

He looked up at me questioningly. "What kinda deal?"

Two hours later, the two of us were squishing and splashing around in a plastic pool full of chocolate pudding. When Jack first suggested it in the grocery store, I had my doubts. But sitting here now in my swim trunks, it was worth the $200 that I paid out. Suddenly, a screech from the house sent icy chills down my spine.

"EMMETT MCCARTY CULLEN! What in the HELL are you doing out there?"

I looked up to see my mother standing with her hand on her hips. If this had been a cartoon, steam would have been rolling out of her ears.

"MeMe!" Jack called, hopping up and rushing towards his grandmother.

Esme held up a hand to halt his progress. "Oh no, no, no! You are not touching me nor stepping foot into my house like that!"

She glared at me and waved her arm at the mess of brown goo. "What is that? Please, for your sake don't tell me mud, Emmett."

I shrugged and gave her my cutest smile. The one that my girl Rose always sighs over. "Nah, it's pudding, Ma."

Her eyes widened and she shook her head. Bending down, she ran a finger down Jack's cheek and tasted. "Mmmm, that's good, isn't it, Sweetie?"

Jack fell to his butt and started giggling. Esme stood straight and sighed. "Let me get the hose."

...

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

...

_**May 13, 2006**_

...

Quickly downing the shot that my cousin handed to me, I winced as the Jose Cuervo burned a trail down my gullet.

Tre laughed and slapped my back. "Take it like a man, Emmett."

I turned around in my seat and looked out across the dance floor of Temptation, a nightclub in downtown Chicago. Graduation was next week, and I wanted to wait until then to celebrate my birthday, but the Martin brothers were having none of that. Al nudged my shoulder, and I looked over at him. His glasses were pushed up to the top of his head and his blue eyes were glassy.

"Emmy ish finelly a man!" he slurred as he swung his arm around my shoulders.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "I don't know where you've been, but I've been a man for a while."

I easily outweighed the pair by a hundred pounds of pure muscle and towered over them by a few inches, more so in Alistair's case. He was small in stature, but easily made up for it in intellect. The man was practically a genius.

"Yesh," Al continued, "but you don't toin 21 every day, y'know."

I nodded in agreement and looked down at the beer in my hands. This wasn't how I pictured my first time at a bar would be. I always thought that it would be a fun event, with my father and brother along for the ride, but that wasn't the case. The past eight months had almost destroyed my family. Everyone had been throwing themselves into their various jobs in order to stifle the overwhelming sense of loss that surrounded us.

Even after he'd moved back home with us six weeks ago, I had barely seen my brother. Not a day has gone by when I hadn't thought of my nephew and I couldn't begin to imagine what Edward was going through. The day that I came home from class and Mom told me the news would be forever branded into my memory.

_..._

_ **September 28, 2005**_

_ ..._

_"MOM! I'm home," I shouted as I let the door slam shut behind me. As soon as I saw her rushing towards me with tears streaming down her face, I knew something was wrong. I reached out and cupped her face._

_"Mom? What's wrong? What happened? Is Dad okay? Edward?" I started to ask frantically._

_She let out a sob and collapsed against my chest. "No, baby, they're fine. It's Jack."_

_My heart started to pound. "No, Ma, not Squirt. He's only been gone less than two weeks! What happened?"_

_She blinked out a whole new set of tears. "He's missing, Emmett. He disappeared from a park. Edward is booking a flight for the two of us to Phoenix immediately."_

_"What? I'm coming, too! What about Dad?"_

_She shook her head. "Your father has surgeries scheduled, but he's rescheduled the rest and will meet us down there in a few days. You, my dear boy, need to stay here. You graduate this year and you need to stay focused. Having you down there worrying with us won't accomplish anything, honey. Jack will be fine, I know it."_

_My heart ached and I wanted to put up a fight about going, but then Edward came down the stairs and I lost my will to argue and rushed over to him. He hugged me back tightly and I felt him shaking like a leaf._

_"Thanks, Em," he whispered._

_"No problem, Ed. Squirt's a fireball, he'll be fine."_

_"I hope so, Em," he choked out in a voice hoarse from crying._

_As I watched them drive off two hours later, I prayed to God that it was true and that Jack would be waiting when they landed in Phoenix._

_ ..._

Demetri handed me another beer and sat back down on the stool next to me.

"So, what are going to be doing with that fancy Engineering diploma that you're getting, cousin?"

I shrugged and smiled slightly as I thought about the single bright spot in my life. Rosalie.

"Rose and I are going to open our own business. Customizing and designing cars. She majored in Art and minored in Mechanical Engineering."

I reached into my pocket and wrapped my hand around the small black box that was nestled there safely. If losing Jack from my life had taught me anything, it was that time was short and life came with no guarantees. After we graduated, I was going to ask Rose to marry me. I figured that she'd either say yes or kick me in the nuts. I was really hoping for the former. I swallowed the last of my beer and motioned for another.

Three hours and a full bottle of tequila later, I was a step below wasted. I waved to my sloshed cousins before unlocking the front door. I felt bad for that cab driver. I really hoped that Tre didn't puke in the guy's car.

The huge house was eerily quiet. Edward had driven up with my parents to visit my mom's family. I still had no clue how I got out of that trip. Grandma was awesome, but she was a little on the bonkers side.

I trudged my way up the stairs and kicked off my sneakers before flopping down on the bed. I picked up my stereo remote and hit play. As Seether blasted through the speakers, I wondered if the universe was playing tricks on me.

...

_I wanted you to know, that I love the way you laugh._

_I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away._

_I keep your photograph and I know it serves me well._

_I wanna hold you high and steal your pain._

_..._

I picked up my phone and shot a text off to Rosalie.

'R U busy?'

_'No, just finished some laundry. What's up?'_

'Hvng a bad nght. Cum over?'

_'Give me twenty' _

I sighed and tossed the phone onto my night table. I closed my eyes and ran my hands roughly through my hair as the music washed over me.

...

_'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome_

_And I don't feel right when you're gone away._

_You've gone away_

_You don't feel me here... anymore_

_..._

I sat up and looked directly across the room to where an 8x10 photo of Jack sat upon my dresser. He was smiling widely, showing off all of his teeth. His face had dirt smudged across one cheek and leaves in his hair. The picture had been taken right after last Thanksgiving's football game. Dad and Edward had teamed up against me and Squirt. Between my bulk and Jack's ability to run between their legs, we had easily won the match. I rubbed my chest, trying to alleviate the ache that was residing there.

...

_The worst is over now and we can breathe again._

_I wanna hold you high, you steal my pain away._

_There's so much left to learn, and no one left to fight._

_I wanna hold you high and steal your pain._

...

Fuck that. The worst wasn't over yet. We had to live with his loss every damned day. My breaking point felt closer and closer to overwhelming me. My eyes stung with tears and I hastily wiped them away, after placing the photo back in its place. Figuring that I had time to wash off the smell of smoke and liquor off of me before Rosie got here, I stripped off my clothes, setting the ring box carefully in my nightstand drawer, and stepped into the shower. The hot water pounded against my back and rolled my neck muscles, trying to loosen them up.

_..._

_'Cause I'm broken when I'm open._

_And I don't feel like I am strong enough._

_'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome._

_And I don't feel right when you're gone._

_You've gone away, you don't feel me here anymore._

_..._

I wondered if Jack was alive and happy wherever he was. Did he have a good home? Food in his belly? The luxury of a hot shower? Something snapped and the tears started to fall uncontrollably. Despair and anguish hit me like a wave as I crumpled to the shower floor sobbing. I sat up and pulled my knees to my chest, the steam from the hot water condensing on my skin where the water didn't reach. Suddenly, I felt a light touch on my shoulder. I looked up into Rose's face, which was mirror of my sadness.

"Oh, Em," she sighed, before toeing off her shoes and sliding into the shower, fully clothed, to sit behind me. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and another sob worked it's way out of my chest as she laid her head against my back.

"Fuck, Rosie. Why does it still hurt so much?"

"Because you love him, Em. There's always going to be a spot inside of you that will hold Jack's memory."

I turned and looked into her cerulean eyes, which were full of sadness and love. "I wish you could have met him. I should have introduced you sooner."

"Ssh, don't beat yourself up, baby," she whispered before placing a sweet, gentle kiss on my lips.

I reached up to cup her face, gazing down at her with admiration and adoration, before deepening the kiss. I needed something to ground me; pull me away from this madness. I needed her.

I slowly stood and pulled her up with me. I grabbed the hem of her wet shirt and pulled it over her head, tossing it out on to the bathroom floor. I need to feel her skin against mine, tangible evidence that I wasn't alone. She stood before me in nothing but a loose pair of sweat pants, that were hanging dangerously low because they were soaked. Her eyes searched mine for a moment before speaking.

"Are you sure, Em? You can't hide your grief by fucking it away."

I yanked down her pants and she placed her hand on my shoulder for balance as she stepped out of them. As we stood, face-to-face, I pulled her naked body against mine and chuckled darkly.

"I know I can't 'fuck it away', as you so eloquently put it, but I do want to forget it for now and lose myself in you. Is that so bad, Rosalie?"

She instantly melted against me. "Emmett," she sighed. "I'm here for you, however you need me."

"Just let me love, you. Please."

Her hands found their way into my hair and she pressed her lips against mine hungrily. My body yearned to become one with her. She was my solace, my haven. I needed to touch and feel and be buried in her warmth. What felt like only moments later, her legs were wrapped around my waist as I pounded her against the shower wall.

"Fuck, yes! God, Emmett! Just like that," Rosalie cried out, gripping my hair tightly. I groaned and pressed further, deeper, trying to hit that spot that would send her over the edge. I couldn't control the world outside of this room, but I could control this. I could give her pleasure and make her come undone. My mouth nipped at her ear lobe as I felt her tighten around my cock. Her body shuddered as it found its release, and I followed shortly after, a feeling of accomplishment surging through me. Knowing that I had been the cause of her orgasm always sent me into a tailspin.

"Ughhhh," I grunted as my seed spilled inside of her. "Fuck, I love you, Rose," I called out.

I rested my head against the cool tiles of the shower, trying to draw breath into my aching lungs. Rose's legs loosened from my waist and slowly slid down to the floor. She pressed a soft kiss against my chest, right above my heart.

"Do you feel better now?" she asked quietly.

I pulled back and nodded, looking down into those blue eyes and I saw everything: my past, my present and my future. I didn't want to wait until graduation. I wanted to ask her now. I pressed my lips lightly against hers and smiled after I pulled away. I could do this. I could move forward with Rose by my side.

She gazed up at me with her own smile and bemused look on her face.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing, babe. I'm just happy that I have you."

Rose sighed and wrapped her arm around me, hugging me tightly.

"Me too, Em. Let's get out of here before we turn into prunes."

"Yes, dear," I laughed and reached out for a couple of towels as she turned the water off.

Fifteen minutes later, we were curled up in my bed, just holding onto each other in silence.

"Rose?" I asked quietly.

She turned her head to look at me. "Yeah, Em?"

I took a deep breath and extricated myself from her arms. Opening the night table drawer, I pulled out the little black ring box, keeping it hidden from her for now.

"I need to ask you something important, okay?"

Her eyes widened and she nodded, wary of where the conversation was going.

"Where do you see us in the future?"

Rose's face went slack in surprise before she cocked an eyebrow. "Erm, I thought we had this all worked out, Emmett. We're going to move into an apartment and start our car business."

She blinked suddenly and her face fell. "Oh. Are you trying to tell me that you've changed your mind? Dammit, Em. If that's the case, just spit it out!" she said angrily, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Shit! No, no, no! I wasn't talking about that Rose. I was talking about us," I responded, motioning in between our bodies.

Her brow furrowed in confusion and it might have been the most adorable thing that I had ever seen.

"What do you mean? We've been dating for over a year, and we're moving in together. I'm not following you."

I swallowed and brought the box into her line of sight. She gasped and her hands flew up to cover her mouth. Tears dripped down her cheeks and the droplets formed dark spots on my blue sheets.

"Rosalie, you own my heart. You have since the first day I saw you in our Applied Mechanics class over fourteen months ago. Every time I feel like I can't love you any more, you do or say something that makes my heart expand just a little bit more. You've been my best friend and my confidante. You've held me and seen me at my weakest; letting me cry on your shoulder countless times over the past six months."

I swallowed and blinked back my own tears. "I can't imagine my life without you. Losing Jack made it hit home that life is too short and we have no guarantees of tomorrow. But I want to promise you each and every one of my tomorrows for the rest of my life. We don't have to do this anytime soon, if you don't want to. I'll wait forever for you. So, Rosalie Lillian Hale, will you please be my wife?"

She dropped her hands from her face and threw herself into my arms, sobbing.

"Of course, Emmett! Yes, I'll be your wife!"

I reached up and took her left hand. I reached into the box and removed the ring before sliding it onto her fourth finger. I kissed her knuckles and looked up into her face, which was shining with happiness.

"I love you, Rosie," I whispered against her lips.

"I love you too, Em. Forever," she replied before kissing me with everything in her.

I closed my eyes and my future laid out before me. No longer empty and barren because of Jack's loss, but slowly coming back to life. It wouldn't happen overnight, but I was confident that we'd eventually get there.

I would never stop praying for a miracle though.

...

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

...

_**June 18, 2010**_

...

I pulled up in front of my parent's house and cut the engine. After taking a deep breath and blowing it, I turned towards Rosalie in the passenger seat. She smiled serenely at me and I instantly felt calmer. I ran my hand through my hair and stared at the front door of the house through my windshield.

"What do we say, Rose?"

She chewed on her cheek and shrugged slightly. "We're not far, so I say we wait until next month."

I nodded and smiled at her before opening my door. I met her at the front of the car and our hands instinctively sought each other. I stopped at the bottom of the porch stairs and looked down at my wife, rubbing her non-existent baby bump. We had just come from the doctor's visit that confirmed that Rosalie was eight weeks pregnant and we were both over the moon.

"Waiting is good," I muttered. I wasn't sure who I was trying to convince more: Rose or myself.

Rose placed her free hand on my forearm and patted it lightly. "It'll be fine, Em. Let's go in here and have a nice visit with your mom so we can plan what to do for your brother's birthday tomorrow."

I closed my eyes and sighed. "I'm scared about how he's going to take the news. He's just starting to be more like himself. Finding this out might send him spiraling back into a dark place."

"He'll be fine, Emmett. Knowing Edward, he'll be sad too, but mostly happy for us. You're going to be a great dad."

I leaned down and kissed her lightly. "You always know just what to say. You'll be a wonderful mother, Rosie."

She smiled and tugged on my hand, leading me up the stairs. I jerked on the knob and held the door open for her before letting it slam shut.

"Mom! We're here!" I called out, earning a smack on the shoulder from Rose.

"What? Shit, this house is huge, you know that."

She motioned across the great room where I noticed that my parents were sitting on the couches, along with a woman and a boy. The woman was a pretty brunette with a pair of chocolate brown eyes and a heart shaped face. I flashed her an apologetic smile for barging in like the ass that I was. I looked over at my mom, who looked unusually frazzled. She smiled at us and gestured towards their company.

"Emmett, Rosalie," Mom greeted us softly. "This is Isabella Swan and," she cut herself off and looked over at the seated pair.

The boy took a deep breath and stood up. My heart started to race and my chest felt tight. I briefly wondered if this was what it was like to have a heart attack. His eyes were a brilliant green and his brown hair had highlights of bronze shining through. That, coupled with the way he nervously ran his hand through his hair, was all Edward. I stood there in shock, staring down at the face of my brother's replica. My brain refused to think his name; trying to protect me if this was all a misunderstanding.

"Jack. Jackson Swan," the boy spoke up confidently.

I heard Rose gasp beside me, but I couldn't tear my eyes from him.

"No way," I whispered, my heart refusing to listen to my brain anymore. I heard my mother speaking in the background, but I couldn't focus on what she way saying.

Jack cocked his head to the side and eyed me carefully, as if he were trying to figure me out. He closed his eyes and smiled.

"Did you fill a blow up pool with chocolate pudding?" Jack asked, opening one eye and squinting at me.

I grinned through the tears dripping down my face. "Yep. Your grandma was so mad at me, and she hosed us down outside before she let us back into the house. She has pictures of it somewhere."

My heart felt it was about to burst through my chest and my legs started to shake. I dropped to my knees and started to sob.

"Jack," I whispered out in a strangled moan.

The boy's eyes widened and filled with tears of his own before he flew at me, throwing himself into my arms.

"Uncle Em," he cried, squeezing me tightly.

I rocked backed and forth slowly, reveling in the feel of him. Jack was alive. He was here and in my arms. After a few moments, I let him go, but my emotions were still out of control, so I grabbed onto Rosalie as my anchor. When I was more composed, I walked over to the brunette and hugged her tightly.

"I don't know who you are or how this happened, but thank you so much," I whispered into her ear.

Rose and I took a seat on the couch as we began to listen to Bella Swan's story. By the time she was finished, I felt like I had just stepped off a roller coaster ride. At first I was heartbroken and hurt that Jack was all alone. Then I was furious at that skank Victoria. Next came awe that this girl, who wasn't much younger than I was, put her life on hold to become a mother to my nephew. Relief washed over me at that point, knowing that he had been loved and taken care of for the majority of his time away from us. After voicing her opinions about Victoria's involvement with drugs and possibly leaving Jack in Seattle, my fury came back in full force. Then Bella talked about heading back to their hotel, and I snapped.

"You're talking as if you'd just let her walk out of that door with him, if that's what she chose," I scoffed after Mom suggested that she spend the night here.

Bella looked at with me wide, frightened eyes and I tried to give her a smile, my heart going out to her. It was easy to see how much she loved Jack, but there was no way I'd stand for him to possibly up and disappear again. Not after we had just found him.

"Don't get me wrong," I said, trying to keep my voice kind. "I like you and you did an awesome job of taking care of little man here, but we're his blood. You can't just pop him in front of us and then take him away."

"Emmett McCarty Cullen," Mom interjected sternly. "You will not talk to her like that. She is his mother."

I looked over at her, incredulously. "She is not his mother. Victoria is. As much of a piece of shit as she is, she's his mother."

Jack jumped to his feet, shaking slightly. "Bella is my mother. You won't take me. I wanted to know you guys and find you again," he started shaking his head back and forth, "but if you think that you're going to take my mom from me, then you're crazy." He stood defiantly in front of Bella, silently challenging someone to argue with him.

My mother walked over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder, smiling slightly. "No one is going to take your mom from you. I promise," she spoke softly to him.

"You can't say that!" I found myself yelling. "You can't make a promise like that to him! Edward is his father. Do you think that he'll just keep his mouth shut when he finds out? Let this stranger walk away with his kid that he's been mourning over for the past five years?"

"She is his mother in every way that counts. It's plain to see that she loves and adores him and the feeling is quite obviously mutual. As much as I missed my grandson, I love him enough to not threaten to rip him from the only mother he knows. I know this is difficult, but it's something that can be worked out. I will not allow you nor your brother to steam roll over this girl."

My mother glared at me and I suddenly felt like I had disappointed her. I closed my eyes and ran a hand over my face.

"You're right, Mom, I'm sorry. But if I feel like this, can you imagine how Edward is going to react? He's going to go ballistic. You need to start thinking of some way to break this to him easy."

There was no fucking way that Edward was going to let Jack walk out of that door. None. All I knew was that I would back my brother 100% on that.

The room grew uncomfortably quiet, but was soon broken by the sound of a car outside. I couldn't help the small smirk that grew on my face as I heard Edward's voice. I looked up and saw the surprise on his face, but his eyes were glued to Bella, not having noticed the boy to her left. He gave her that panty-dropping smirk and my stomach dropped.

"Well, hello there," he said softly, his eyes still not leaving Bella's face.

Shit, it figured. He hadn't shown interest in any woman since Victoria had screwed him over, but the one time he did, it had to be the one woman who could rip him to shreds because of Jack. Fuck that. My loyalty lay with my brother, and I'd just have to figure out a way to protect him.

...

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

...

**AN:** Well, I hope that I've done Emmett justice! It was challenge and I enjoyed writing from his POV, letting us get a glimpse inside his mind.


	9. Leave Out All The Rest : JackPOV

**AN**: This is the JackPOV Outtake that was written for the Fandom for Preemies fundraiser, which raised over $5000! I was honored to be a part of it and proud at how much was accomplished!

...

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

...

**September, 2005**

**...**

The sky was getting dark and the sun was hiding behind the clouds. The little boy wrapped his arms around his legs and shivered violently. Mommy would be back soon, and she'd take him to Daddy. All he had to do was stay here like she told him. His stomach growled angrily and his pants were damp from where his tears had soaked through them. He felt the first drop of rain hit his head, and he looked up. The drops started coming faster and he began to panic and crawled underneath the bench to try and stay dry. The sky opened up and it started to pour. The water soaked through to his skin, even though he tried to stay covered. At this point, he couldn't help but sob. All he wanted was his Daddy.

A little while later, the rain stopped and the boy made his way out from under the bench. The sky was really dark now, and he was more scared than ever. He stood and looked around the park. There was no one around and he started to walk, which turned into running. Soon, he found himself in a dark alley, his body pressed as close to the wall as he could physically get. There were strange people yelling and making loud noises, so he covered his ears and tried to fall asleep again.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but he heard noises once again. This time they were closer. He started to cry and buried his face in his lap, trying not to make any sound. The sound of someone walking down the alley grew louder.

"Hello? Are you hurt? Do you need some help?"

The voice sounded comforting, but he couldn't move. He was frozen and scared. He felt a soft hand touch his hair. It was at this point in his memories that he looked up and saw an angel. This time, however, instead of brown hair and warm eyes, lightning flashed and illuminated flame red hair and cold blue eyes. His mother's angry face glared back at him.

"I told you to stay put, boy. Do you not listen to a word I say?" she yelled at him. She reached out and grabbed him roughly by the arm and he cried out.

"No! No! Don' hurt me!"

He started to shake and felt the tears run down his face.

"Jack! Jack! Wake up, honey!"

The little boy's eyes flew open and met with the warm brown ones that he had been desperate to see in his dream. He flung himself against Bella's chest and sobbed. She ran her fingers through his hair and rocked him gently.

"Ssh, I've got you, Little Bit. No one's going to hurt you, baby," she whispered over and over.

After a few minutes, his tears started to be abate and his body ceased its shuddering. Jack pulled back and wiped his cheeks with his pajama sleeves. Bella cupped his face and leaned down to kiss his forehead. She settled herself next to him in bed and he curled up against her side, resting his head against her shoulder. She gently rubbed his back and he felt his eyes getting heavy.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," he murmured sleepily. "Will you sing to me?"

Bella hummed in agreement and started to sing softly.

...

_I've heard there was a secret chord, __  
__That David played and it pleased the Lord. __  
__But you don't really care for music, do you?_

_Well it goes like this the fourth, the fifth, __  
__The minor fall and the major lift. __  
__The baffled king composing Hallelujah._

_Hallelujah__  
__Hallelujah__  
__Hallelujah__  
__Hallelujah_

_..._

His breathing was deep and steady before Bella had even finished the chorus.

...

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

**...**

_**July, 2008**_

...  
_**  
**_The boy stood at the hotel window, gazing out at the lights that lit up the night. Being here in Disney World was such a dream come true. He smiled when he thought about how much he and his mom had done today with Pops and Nana. He turned his head when he heard a knock at the door. It opened and a shadow fell across the room. The woman from earlier stood in front of him. Bella's mother. His eyes widened and he took an automatic step backwards, hitting the window ledge.

"Wha-what do you want?"

The woman smiled strangely and pointed at him. He shook his head.

"MOM!" he called. Another figure entered his room and he sighed in relief.

When he got a better look at the woman, his heart stopped. Red instead of brown framed her face. His breathing quickened and he started to shake.

"It's not real, I'm dreaming," he whispered and squeezed his eyes closed. He felt sharp nails dig into his arm and his eyes shot open.

His mother's face was inches from his own, her cold blue eyes staring into his.

"You've been gone for too long, Jackson," she spoke in a sickly sweet voice. "Mommy missed you."

He shook his head. "No, you're not my mom anymore. Bella is. She loves me."

The woman cocked her head to the side. "No, no she's not," she replied. "You're coming with me. Renee is going to stay and take care of her daughter. You are going home with me. Don't you want to see your Daddy?"

His heart started to hurt and he felt so sad thinking about his dad. He wanted to see him and hug him so bad, but not if he had to leave Bella.

"Yes, I want Daddy," he whispered, "but I'm not going with you. Never again."

Anger flashed across her face and she hit him across the cheek. His hand shot to his face and rubbed the stinging area. His mind whirled and he remembered flashes of the last time she had hit him. Crying on a plane and staring out at the sky. Calling out that he wanted Daddy. Being dragged into an empty bathroom. Being hit when he wouldn't quiet down. Having his pants pulled down when he only cried harder.

He fell down on his bottom, overwhelmed with memories. His mother reached for him again, but he scrambled away.

"No, you can't have me!" he yelled at her.

From nowhere, he felt strong arms wrap around him from behind, forgetting that Renee was in the room. His mother walked slowly towards him and reached out for him. He struggled and tears started to fall.

"No! No! NO!"

"Jack! Baby! Wake up! Please, Mama is here, baby. Please!"

Jack's eyes flew open and he launched himself into Bella's arms before he even fully realized where he was.

"Little Bit, baby, it's okay," she whispered as she rubbed his back in comfort. "It was just a nightmare."

He rubbed his face against her shirt to discreetly dry his face. He took a shuddering breath and pulled back to look at her, his eyes wild with fright. Bella sighed and caressed his face.

"I'm so sorry. I guess seeing my mom brought back bad memories for you, huh?" She smiled sadly at him.

He nodded and ran his hands through his hair. As always, Bella settled next to him in the bed and curled up with him.

She began singing before he even had to ask.

...

_When the rain is blowing in your face_  
_And the whole world is on your case_  
_I can offer you a warm embrace_  
_To make you feel my love_

_When the evening shadows and the stars appear_  
_And there is no one there to dry your tears_  
_I could hold you for a million years_  
_To make you feel my love_

_..._

She held him and sang softly until they fell asleep together in quiet peace.

**...**

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

**...**

_**July, 2010**_

...

Jack tugged his tie nervously and stared at his reflection in the mirror. Sometimes, when he saw himself, his eyes look more blue than green and his hair more red than brown. His birth mother's face haunted his dreams occasionally, and lately, she had been invading his waking thoughts as well. It was only fitting though, surrounded in this place filled by memories of the past. As much as he loved his father and grandparents, deep down, he didn't want to remember his previous life. He wanted to permanently forever the loneliness and sadness that he felt whenever his father worked and left him home for the day with Victoria. He wanted to forget how she ignored him and left him alone for hours; how she would only clean him up and feed him right before his father came home. He remembered howthose were the only times he was happy to see her, because he knew that meant Daddywould be home soon.

After the past five years of living with Bella and pushing all of those memories behind a door, he now knew what a mother was supposed to be like. She loved you and protected you, no matter what. She kept you warm and held you when you were frightened. She stood by you and helped you learn to make the right decisions. She may not have carried him for nine months, but he knew without an ounce of doubt that Bella was his mom.

His eyes teared up and he watched his mirrored reflection's lower lip quiver while emotions shot around his chest wildly. For the longest time, he had tried so hard to be grown up, thinking that maybe if he wasn't too much trouble, Bella would want to keep him. There were times when he wanted to scream and shout and throw a tantrum like he'd seen normal kids do, but he didn't. He wasn't normal and he knew it. He was the kid whose birth mother didn't love him and left him alone in a foreign place. He had needed to be good so that Bella didn't leave him, too.

It had taken years of therapy with Dr. Kate, but slowly those feelings changed. They still simmered under the surface, but he had learned to manage them. Secretly, he was jealous of his friends. Riley and Garrett had their own issues, but they could talk back and break the rules with the knowledge that yeah, they would get punished, but their parents love was innate and would never waver. As much as he knew in his heart that Bella's love was unconditional, there was still that small part of him that felt broken and unwanted.

Standing here in his bedroom in Chicago, getting ready to be an important guest for a big party in honor of his mom's charity, all of those feelings crashed down upon him. Unease and dread weighed heavily upon his shoulders, even if he himself couldn't name those emotions. Something about tonight wasn't sitting well with him. A knock sounded at the door and he took a deep breath to try and settle himself.

"Come in," he called, turning away from the mirror. Alice walked in, wearing a pretty black dress that came to her knees; her normally spiky hair was smooth and straight. She smiled brightly when she saw him ready to go.

"Wow, you look very handsome, Jack. Are you all set?"

He nodded choppily and ran one of his hands through his hair. Allie narrowed her eyes and cocked her head slightly to the side.

"Something's wrong. Are you nervous, baby?"

He blinked and debated on whether or not to let everything out. In the end, he decided against it.

"A little, but I'll be fine," he responded, shaking his head. He gave her what he hoped was a dazzling smile. Allie reached out for his hand and escorted him downstairs, where everyone was waiting to leave.

...

_I dreamed I was missing_  
_You were so scared_  
_But no one would listen_  
_Cause no one else cared_

_After my dreaming_  
_I woke with this fear_  
_What am I leaving_  
_When I'm done here_

_..._

A few hours later, Jack found himself seated at a large table in an elegant ballroom, surrounded by a sea of people dressed in black and white. To his right, both sets of his grandparents were immersed in conversation that he had no interest in. He reached out for his wine glass filled with grape juice and took a sip. His eyes wandered around the open dance floor and found his parents in each other's arms, swaying. He watched their lips move and the smiles they exchanged. He had never seen either of them so happy and alive. He couldn't help but smile as he envisioned his dad moving to Washington, them getting married and someday giving him a brother or sister.

He had no idea how things would play out when it was time to leave at the end of the summer, but he knew that it would be okay no matter what. He didn't want to leave Port Angeles or any of his family or Riley and Garrett. He wanted to stay there and be happy and maybe ask the girl down the street, Bree, out on a date when they were older. He wanted that life, but he also wanted his dad in it. As he gazed at his parent's holding each other closely, he knew that that was a distinct possibility. He smile turned into a full blown grin when he saw his mother throw her head back and laugh. She had given him so much, a new life that was filled with so much love. He would do anything for her or to protect her. If she wanted them to move to Chicago, he'd do it in a heartbeat, no matter who he had to leave behind. As long as she was by his side, he knew it would all be okay.

He felt a sudden chill run down his spine and his eyes nervously shot around the room. There was a small commotion by the entrance and his heart started to pound in irrational fear.

...

_Don't be afraid__  
__I've taken my beating__  
__I've shed but I made__  
__  
__I'm strong on the surface__  
__Not all the way through__  
__I've never been perfect__  
__But neither have you_

_..._

There she stood. The one person he had both dreaded and wanted to see. A not so small part of him wanted her to see how happy and loved he was; that he never needed her, especially not now. His hands started to shake, so he clenched them into fists. She was wearing a little blue dress and stood out from the crowd. Her red hair was shorter than he remembered, wavy and not quite hitting her shoulders. She stood tall and regal, gazing around the room until her cold blue eyes met his. A small, yet scary smile adorned her face as she started to make her way over to their table. His breathing started to pick up and the dread he had felt earlier came back in full force. He shakily reached his hand out blindly next to him, tapping his grandmother's shoulder.

"Yes, baby?" Esme asked as she turned to him. She quickly became concerned, noticing his shaking and labored breathing.

"Carlisle!" she called out in panic. Jack's face was locked in one spot and Esme quickly followed his gaze. With a fury to rival Ares himself, she stood up quickly, knocking over her chair. "Oh, hell no."

In an instant, Bella was was by Jack's side. She reached for his hands and rubbed them.

"Jack! Jack, sweetie, you need to calm down. Deep breaths, Little Bit. That's it, come back to mama," she soothed cooingly in his ear, while running her free hand through his hair. He turned his wide eyes to meet hers and opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. He blinked and swallowed.

"What is it, baby? What's got you so upset?"

His eyes cast back towards the woman who was now standing a few feet away, in front of their table, smirking at a livid Edward and Esme.

"Victoria," he whispered.

...

_Forgetting_  
_All the hurt inside__  
__You've learned to hide so well__  
__  
__Pretending__  
__Someone else can come and save me from myself__  
__I can't be who you are__  
_

**...**

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

**...**

**AN: **Music in this Outtake is also posted on the Parachute Blog!

_Hallelujah_ by Kate Voegele

_To Make You Feel My Love_ by Adele

_Leave Out All The Rest_ by Linking Park


	10. Barrel of a Gun : EPOV

**AN**: Here is the promised EPOV from Chapters 31/32.

=)

...

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

...

_**August 18, 2010**_  
...

My fingers tapped anxiously on the keyboard as I stared out the window. Glancing at the clock, it was only a minute later than the last time I'd checked. I cursed under my breath and went back to my Seattle apartment search, deciding that I needed a distraction. Bella was due to be here in under an hour and James was running late for our meeting.

After glancing back at the computer screen, I let out a sigh. I really didn't want to spend even a moment away from them while I was living in the same state, but everything was so new and I didn't want to ruin anything by rushing. The look of disappointment in her eyes made me feel like a heel, but she reassured me that even though she was sad about it, she understood my reasons.

As I looked through listing after listing, I assured myself that it wouldn't be for long. Maybe three to six months, while we dated and got to know each other even more. My thoughts flipped quickly to the ring that was sitting in my dad's safe at home. It was a simple two carat diamond engagement ring that had been my birth mother's. The idea of giving it to Victoria had never occurred to me, as it had been meant for Bella all along.

"Mr. Cullen?" my secretary's voice came through the intercom.

"Yes, Gianna?"

"Mr. Brooks is here to see you."

"Send him in."

The door opened immediately and James swaggered in. Cocky, confident, cool; he hadn't changed much since our college days. He sat down across from me and opened his briefcase, pulling out a few documents.

"Sorry, I didn't want to tell you over the phone. I have the finalized drafts of the custody petition," he said, handing me a piece of paper.

My jaw dropped in shock, glancing down at the paper in my hand. "What is this?" I asked incredulously.

His brow furrowed in confusion. "When the girl showed up with Jackson, you asked me to draw these up, remember?"

Shame filled me as I recalled that very conversation. Groaning, I ran a hand through my hair.

"I was upset and didn't comprehend the situation clearly. I can't take Jack away from his mother."

James raised an eyebrow. "His mother? Edward, really. Think about this."

"I have, James. She is Jack's mother in every way that counts. I can't rip him away from her. Plus, I- I've fallen in love with her."

His mouth popped open and his eyes widened. "Edward, I don't know what's gotten into you, but as your lawyer, I would advise you to take a step back and think this through."

I straightened my back and leveled a glare at him. "I already have. I've thought about it long and hard."

My phone beeped and I couldn't help the small smile that formed on my face as I glanced down at the text message.

_.._  
_I told G not to interrupt your meeting, but I wanted to let you know that I'm out here whenever you're free. _

_xo __~ B_  
_.._

I looked James straight in the eye and handed him back the paperwork. "Get rid of it."

His eyes flashed with annoyance. "Edward, seriously. Dropping the suit would be a terrible mistake."

"We're friends, James, but as soon as you put on your lawyer hat, you work for me. You do what I say. Drop the custody issue."

He snatched the paper from my hand angrily. "You're going to regret this, Edward." He turned and stormed over to the door, before composing himself.

I sighed and wiped my hands over my face. That was not how I had envisioned that going. After a few minutes to collect myself, I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

_..._  
_What do you expect of me_  
_What is it you want?_  
_Whatever you've planned for me_  
_I'm not the one_  
_..._

"Gianna?" I buzzed through.

"Yes, Mister Cullen?"

"Can you let Miss Swan in?"

After a moment of silence, Gianna responded. "She's not out here, Mister Cullen. Shall I check the Ladies Room?"

"No, that's fine. Thank you."

I pulled out my phone to text her back.

..  
_Baby, I'm ready and waiting. ;-)_

_xo E_  
..

"Mister Cullen, Mr. Braley is on line one, sir," Gianna's voice said over the intercom.

I groaned. Braley was one of our biggest clients, so I couldn't just ignore the call.

"Fine, but when Miss Swan comes back, let her know that I'm on the phone, but to come on in."

"Yes, sir."

After fifteen excruciating minutes, I was finally able to hang up. There was no response from Bella yet, so I tried to call her number.

After a few rings, it went to voicemail.

"Gianna?"

"Yes, Mister Cullen?"

"Miss Swan didn't come back, did she?"

"No, sir."

"Would you mind checking the Ladies Room?"

"Of course not, just give me a moment."

Why would she leave? Did an emergency pop up? Worst case scenarios started to rifle through my brain.

"Mister Cullen?"

"Yes, Gianna?"

"She's not there, sir."

"Thank you."

I hit my fist lightly on the desk in frustration before picking up my phone to dial my mother.

"Hello, dear son of mine," her lilting voice answered.

"Mom? Is Bella there? Have you spoken with her recently?"

"No, I haven't. She's supposed to be there with you. Why? Is something wrong, Edward?" she asked in a concerned rush.

"I don't know, Mom. First she was here and now she isn't. She mentioned earlier about getting Chinese for lunch, so maybe I'll swing by where we were going to go. Maybe she opted for take away instead."

"Okay, dear. Let me know if everything is okay!"

"Of course. Thank you, Mom."

I slid my phone back into my pocket and made my way to the door. Throwing on my jacket, I let Gianna know where I was headed in case Bella came back. The trip to the parking garage was quick, unlike most other days. I stepped off of the elevator and walked towards my car, only to stop in my tracks at the sight of Bella's Aston Martin parked next to my car. Suddenly Bella's ringtone for Esme started to echo through the garage.

...  
_I'd like to make myself believe_  
_That planet Earth, turns, slowly_  
_It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep_  
_Cause everything is never as it seems._  
_When I fall asleep._  
_..._

I jogged a few cars over and saw her purse spilled open onto the ground. I fell to my knees in shock and looked around, but no one was to be found. I gathered up her things and raced back up to the office. Gianna looked up, startled to see me in such a state.

"M-mister Cullen? Is everything all right?"

"No," I practically growled. "Get someone from security on the phone. Now."

Ten minutes later, I found myself pacing a hole in my office carpet before Daniel from security rang me back after going over the surveillance tapes.

"Mr. Cullen, I think you're going to want to come down here and see this."

Punched in the gut. That's exactly what watching that tape felt like.

Bella stepped onto the elevator, smiling and happy, but got back on less than ten minutes later looking angry and upset. I winced when she hit the elevator wall. Something must have really been wrong. The moment she straightened and hit the tenth floor button, you could see that she had a determination to her stance. I couldn't help but wonder what was going through her head. She looked at her phone before answering it. The conversation was brief, but she looked angry again.

If she came back up, where did she go then?

When the elevator doors opened and she flew at James, my jaw dropped. I couldn't understand why she would attack him, but when he slammed her into the back wall, my chest erupted in fury. His arm pressed against her throat and I wanted to break him for touching her. A flare of pride shot through me when she tried to use his distraction against him and kicked him. Then he grabbed her by the hair and punched her, knocking her unconscious. As I watched her slide to the floor, I heard a feral, haunting sound. It only took a moment to realize that it was coming from me.

I pulled my hands roughly through my hair, unable to pull my shell-shocked gaze from the screen.

"Mr Cullen? What would you like me to do?" Daniel asked nervously.

I shot him an incredulous look. "'What would I like you to do?' You call the damn police!"

She had been right all along and I had been blind. Had he been sleeping with my wife behind my back as well, all those years ago? What the hell did he want with Bella?

A cold finger of dread trailed slowly down my spine, immediately drowning out my fury. What was he going to do with her?

"Daniel, call the police now and report a kidnapping. Give them this address, it's James's house." I scribbled the street and numbers down on a post-it note before handing it to him.

"Where are _you_ going, Mr Cullen?" he asked in concern, his voice's cadence told me that he knew the answer already.

"I'm going after Bella."

...

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

...

I think I broke every traffic law in existence on my drive over to James's house. The one time I would have welcomed the police attention and I didn't pass a single cop. I pulled up in front of the three-story Victorian home and parked haphazardly. After rushing up the porch stairs, I quietly eased the unlocked front door open and silently slipped into the house.

My heart started to beat frantically when I walked past the study's open door and saw a puddle of blood slowly seeping across the floor. Bile rose up in my throat, but I pushed myself forward.

_Please, not her. Please, not her. Please, God, don't let it be Bella._

When the crimson river flowed into a taller, slimmer body than Bella's, my entire being let out a shuddering breath. My legs shook and I had to lean against the desk for support. With my head at a different angle, I caught sight of the woman's face and my heart lurched once again. Victoria's lifeless eyes stared back at me. As angry as I was and as much as I resented her, I could never bring myself to hate her. She was my first love and had given me the greatest gift in my life, Jack.

After a moment of mourning for the girl she used to be, I heard James's voice coming from deeper in the house, calling Bella's name. Realizing that she must have been hiding from him, I knew that I needed to distract him to give her a fighting chance. As long as she had a chance at escaping, I'd take the fall in a heartbeat.

_..._  
_An unbearable pain_  
_A beating in my brain_  
_That leaves the mark of Cain_  
_Right here inside_  
...

"Bella!" I called out, trying to send her a warning. "James! Where are you?"

My stomach wanted to heave as I stood next to my ex-wife's body, waiting for my supposed best friend to appear. Would he shoot first and ask questions later? How far gone was he?

A few moments later, James walked into the room, his face twisted in anger.

"Where is she?" I asked. He just cocked his head to the side and stared at me blankly. "Where is she?" I yelled. "Don't stare at me like that, James! Where the fuck is she?"

A mix of emotions crossed his face before he snapped. "SHUT UP!" he screamed, pointing the gun at me.

"James, calm down, man. Put the gun down. You don't want to shoot me," I replied softly, raising my hands in the air.

"You don't know shit, Edward! You never did!" he yelled back at me.

"What are you talking about?"

"You, Mr. Perfect. You came from money and a loving family. You had the perfect girl, and you blew it all away. And for what? A kid?"

"I don't understand. Just what did I blow away?" My brow furrowed in confusion, which was swiftly turning into anger. "A relationship with a woman who didn't give a shit about me? You're damn right I chose my kid first. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

"You've always been a pussy, Edward. She needed someone to love her, and I could."

"Pussy? Who's the one not man enough to face me without a weapon? Who's the one who killed the woman he claimed to love?" I snarled, not being able to control my fury.

He glanced down at Victoria and I saw a blur of movement out of the corner of my eye. Bella rushed in and hit James upside the head with a large frying pan, causing him to stumble and drop the gun. When I saw his body turn and move towards her, I threw myself in between them. After trading a few punches, I was able to get the upper hand and kneel over his chest, punching him repeatedly. As my hand connected with his skin, the desire to end him grew wickedly stronger with each sickening thud. Out of the blue, he caught me with an elbow, which knocked me to the right.

I literally saw stars when his knee connected with my balls, causing pain to shoot up through my gut. I heard Bella yelling something at James, but I couldn't force my mind to register anything besides the pain in my groin. Panic shot through me and I began struggling to my knees at the sound of a gun shot. I looked up and relief coursed through me when I saw Bella standing next to me, the gun now in her possession and pointed at James's head.

"On your knees and put your hands on your head," she growled at him.

He complied immediately, glowering at her the entire time. Soon, red and blue flashing lights were visible outside. I leaned forward trying to catch my breath and willing the throb between my legs to disappear, when James suddenly shot up and knocked into Bella causing the gun to go off. The next thing I knew, James was slumped to the floor, unconscious and Bella fell to her knees, letting out a sob.

When my eyes connected with hers, a wave of relief coursed through my system and I felt tears fill my eyes. Not soon enough, she was in my arms, crying her eyes out.

_..._  
_Whatever I've done _  
_(whatever, whatever)_  
_I've been staring _  
_Down the barrel of a gun_  
_..._

"Oh, God, Edward," she sobbed, burying her head into my chest.

"Sssh, it's okay, baby. I've got you," I whispered, stroking her hair.

A loud banging came from the front of the house as the police rushed in.

"Everybody, stay where you are!"

She pulled her arms around me tighter, refusing to go.

"Put your hands where we can see them!"

Knowing that we needed to remain calm, I slowly released her and raised my hands. As she moved to do the same, her eyes rolled back and she started to sway. I reacted swiftly and caught her before she hit the ground.

A pair of medics rushed over and took her from me, as an officer eyed me warily, his weapon still in hand.

"Sir, I need you to keep your hands where I can see them."

"My name is Edward Cullen. That woman is my girlfriend, Bella Swan. Please, I just need to know if she's alright," I pleaded helplessly, raising my palms.

"We're going to need you to answer some questions first, so we can clear this up, Mr Cullen," an older man in uniform responded.

I nodded. Thus began the second longest night of my life, second only to the day when I heard that Jack was missing five years ago. After hours of interrogation and waiting, I was finally able to make my way to the hospital where they had taken Bella.

My father met me at the entrance, a grim look upon his face.

"How is she?" I asked anxiously as we walked towards the elevators.

He smiled slightly. "She has a concussion and some bruises, but she'll be fine."

After he pressed the button for the seventh floor, he turned to me and placed his hand on my shoulder.

"How are_ you_, son?"

"I'm fine, no injuries."

"That wasn't what I meant, Edward," he responded in a fatherly tone.

I sighed. "I don't know what to feel right now. Everything is a mess; all jumbled up. I've run the gamut of emotions today, to say the least."

The door opened and my father led me down the hall, stopping outside a room and knocking lightly before walking in. The room was quiet, the only sound echoing around was the beeping from the monitors that Bella was hooked up to. I walked over to her side and reached for her hand. She lay still, her eyelids fluttering with her dreams. A scraping noise drew my attention and I saw Dad pulling an uncomfortable recliner towards me.

"Here, it's not much, but you'll need it. She's going to be kept overnight to be monitored."

"Can I stay?" I plead, hopefully.

He smiled wryly. "I didn't think there'd be another option."

"Thank you, Dad." I reached out to shake his hand, but he pulled me into a hug.

"I'm so thankful that you two came through this safely. I don't know what your mother and I would have done," he whispered next to my ear.

I hugged him tightly. "I know, Dad. I felt the same way walking into that house."

I pulled away and sat down heavily into the chair, resting my head in my hands. "When I first saw Victoria's body, I felt so guilty because I was relieved that it wasn't Bella."

"I know it's not much comfort, son, but I would have thought the same thing. Your mother is my guiding star. Without her, I'd be lost."

I looked up and nodded gratefully. "Thanks, Dad."

He quietly left the room and I sighed, leaning forward and grasping Bella's hand.

"I love you, baby. Please come back to me soon."

_..._  
_Whatever I've done _  
_(whatever, forever)_  
_I've been staring _  
_Down the barrel of a gun_  
...

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

...

**AN:** Music used in the chapter is up on the Blog!

"Barrel of a Gun" by Depeche Mode

Esme's ringtone was "Fireflies" by Owl City


	11. In The End : VictoriaPOV

**AN:** This a Victoria POV Outtake that I wrote for The Fandom Against Domestic Violence. =)

...  
**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**  
...

_**Victoria POV**_  
...

I won't ever be remembered for my common sense. I know most of you hate me, and I'm fine with that. I deserve it. I was a bad, bad girl. For those of you who don't know my story, I'll start at the beginning.

My mother married my father for his money and power. When she'd finally had enough, she left and took half of his net worth, including me. He never seemed to mind. He sent an obscenely large support check once a month, but it always felt like a buy-off. Once he remarried and began a family with his new wife, our interactions were even fewer. Who knows how I would have turned out if he had made more of an effort? He's just as much to blame for my upbringing as my mother is. He knew how she was, yet he still didn't lift a finger to keep me.

My mother is cold and manipulative, so it's no wonder that I inherited those traits from her.

_Sigh_

I never set out to be what I was. In fact, I tried to avoid it. I somehow managed to talk Daddy into letting me transfer high schools my junior year. I wanted to be as far as I could away from my mother and her revolving door of men. That was where I met Edward Cullen; sweet, kind and adorable. He was everything I wasn't and yet everything I wanted in my life. I wanted to love him so much. I think I even did at one point, before I found out that I was pregnant. After the stunning example of motherhood that I had been blessed with, I knew without a doubt that I never wanted children. And yet there I was, nineteen and knocked up. My first mistake was going to Edward. I should have realized ahead of time that his bleeding heart would want the baby. My next mistake was going home to Daddy, instead of hightailing it straight to Phoenix, where Mommy Dearest would have helped me in a heartbeat. Edward had panicked and called my father straight away, so that by the time I got there, Daddy already knew and put his foot down. If I had an abortion, Edward would be heartbroken and possibly cause a stink, so that was out of the question if I wanted to stay in my father's good graces. The only option that was given to me was to marry Edward, have the baby and play the role of a good wife.

Needless to say, that didn't go over well. I stewed in my room for months, refusing to leave or even eat half of the time. Miscarrying would be a perfect solution, one where I could not be held accountable for. Something happened though. One day, I felt this flutter, like wings beating inside of my abdomen and I was struck by the thought that there was a little person inside of me. Whether or not I would be a good mother didn't matter any longer. I crawled back to Edward on my hands and knees and gave him my father's ultimatum.

For the first time in my life, my heart melted and cracked when he looked at me with these teary eyes filled with love and begged me to come back. He spun this fairytale, where we would marry and raise our baby and live happily ever after. I started to believe to him, too. I believed him until the day Jackson was born. I looked down into his freshly opened eyes, abnormally green as grass, and I felt nothing. No connection, no instant bond. It was as if I were holding a stranger's child in my arms. When I panicked and started to cry, Edward took him from me and began to comfort him. I had never felt such a great relief in my life.

...  
**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**  
...

From then on, I made it a point to not get too close or touchy with the child. He was a constant reminder that I was a heartless shell, and that I would always be too much like my own mother. Edward tried so hard, but eventually, he gave up on me as well. The more he worked, the more often I was left alone to care for Jackson. I still could barely look at him, so I left him to play on his own, until I absolutely had to interact with him or feed him. Thankfully, both my sister and Edward's mother adored the brat, so I had some respite.

But it wasn't enough. I wanted out. If I filed for divorce, or left Edward, my father would only see the scandal and cut me off. I couldn't have that, so I attempted the next best best thing - push my husband away and let him be the one to divorce me. So, I fucked his best friend in the coat room at a fancy party. James was vicious and rough and made me feel alive. My plans quickly changed. I continued to pull away from Edward, but subtly, so that what James and I had would be hidden. James refused to put his relationship with Edward and his money at risk, and I refused to give up the way that James made me feel.

The second time we met at hotel to screw away the weekend, James placed an Ecstasy tablet under my tongue. That was the beginning of the end. I drank and occasionally smoked weed since high school, but James fed me more and more to get me higher. I was all too happy to oblige, the feeling of flying and being free was worth more to me than anything else. Just under a year passed, with our hidden relationship securely under wraps. My drug use was so well hidden that even if Edward had paid me any attention, he still wouldn't have figured it out. Another trait I inherited from my mother.

Everything was fine. Our lives, manageable. That is, until James took his yearly trip to visit his parents in Seattle. I was clingy and needy; begging him not to go. He was rough and cruel, leaving me by the side of his bed as he walked out the door to catch his plane. I made my way home and found my hidden supply, swallowing down pills that I couldn't even identify; trying to block out the need and panic that his leaving erupted inside of me. I couldn't just let him leave like that, so I tried to find someone to take the kid, under the guise of traveling to my mother's in Phoenix for an emergency. No one was available, so I decided to just take him with me. How much trouble could a three-year-old cause?

When I was high enough to be brave, I called Edward and informed him that we would be gone for a few days. His head was buried so far into the job, that he didn't even blink an eye. I found a friend of a friend and they helped me procure travel arrangements, so that I could travel under the radar. I honestly cannot tell you what happened the day that Jackson disappeared. The last thing I remember was sitting with him in a park and calling James on the phone to tell him that I was there. I remember him being angry and telling me to stay put. After that, everything hazes and blurs together like a nightmare. My next coherent moments were when I awoke in my old bed in Phoenix.

My mother explained that Jackson was missing and that James had brought me here to cover our asses. He cut her a check for a hundred grand to keep her mouth shut and buy his story. He coached me over the phone on how to act and what to say, so that the police would be chasing their tails. A part of me felt bad that Jackson was paying the price for my incompetence, but it quickly died once I found my mother's stash of Oxycontin in the bathroom. After that, days began to blend together. Everything was the same, in and out, day after day. Edward was cold and distant, grieving his child. I was cold and distant, needing a hit.

Everything came crashing down the night I came home from a weekend spent underneath James. It was quiet; too quiet. When I entered the bedroom and saw it completely trashed, I was shocked. Until I found the note my husband had left. I groaned and sat down on the floor, cradling my head in my hands, trying to figure out just when everything had gone wrong.

I called James immediately and what did the fucker do? He took a leave of absence and ran back to mommy and daddy, not wanting to get his hands dirty. I guess I couldn't really blame him. I'd have done the same. Edward was divorcing me, James had abandoned me and now my father wanted nothing to do with me either, so I took my hush money from the Cullens and moved back to Phoenix with my mother.

...  
**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**  
...

Things went well for a year or so, before I became depressed and out of control with the drugs. I OD'd and ended up forced into a rehab center. My father cut off all ties with me and refused to take my calls. My mother was off into her own world with Prince Valium. I was all alone, but I was getting better. The day I was released, I was surprised to find James waiting for me. He took me into his arms and kissed me passionately, proclaiming that he had missed me terribly. Chicago held too many memories for me, so I chose to move to Crystal Lake, which was just over an hour away.

The day James told me that a woman had shown up with my son, my whole world spun off its axis. I was generally curious to see how the boy had grown and what type of woman had been raising him. I knew James would disapprove of me attending the Gala, so I made no mention of me going, choosing to show up randomly instead. I stealthily observed the crowd before making an appearance. The boy was dashing, his reddish brown hair and eyes reminded me so much of the boy his father had been ten years ago. Edward was out on the dance floor with a stunning brunette, laughing and smiling as if he had not a care in the world. The years had certainly been kind to him and I recalled why I had been so attracted to him back in high school.

When I finally made my move, the boy seemed frightened of me and I couldn't understand why. I may have spanked him a few times, but that was nothing he hadn't deserved. Angry Edward was... sexy. I was immediately turned on by his show of bravado. I wondered briefly if I could sway him back into my bed, but then I saw the way he looked at the brunette and knew it would be futile. So, I turned tail and left, content that I had seen the boy with my own eyes and still felt no emotion towards him.

Later that night, James rushed through my door, almost frantic, swearing up and down that the child had recognized him. I never did understand where that paranoia came from. As far as I could recall, Jackson had never seen James and I together. He cooked up this ridiculous scheme about getting Isabella, as the brunette was called, to take the boy and disappear. I could tell that I had shaken her with my phone call, but she stood firm and I had to respect that. I almost felt bad about trying to break her family apart. Almost.

What? I told you already that I deserve your ire. No need to act surprised.

I should have realized that something was wrong the day James called me and asked me to rush over to his house because of an emergency. I was well aware that he had been slowly unraveling, but I assumed that everything would go back to normal once the girl took Jackson back to wherever it was that they had come from. I never suspected that I'd walk into a kidnapping. My breath caught in my throat as I watched the defenseless girl sitting there, tied to chair and awaiting whatever fate that James saw fit to hand out. She didn't deserve this; not when she had been the mother that my child had deserved all along. I had already screwed up Jackson's life enough as it is, I couldn't let any harm come to this woman. I thought I could free her and get us both the hell out of there before James did something stupid, but I was wrong. So very, very wrong.

As I looked down at the crimson staining my fingers and then up into the eyes of the man who proclaimed to love me, I knew my time was up. If he wanted to snuff out my life, without a second thought, then I'd make damn sure he knew I wasn't afraid. I was weary of this world and everything that I've fucked up; I accepted my fate and was ready for it. I held his gaze steady with my own, making sure that he was looking me in the eye when he pulled that trigger. A split second and loud bang, the bastard did just that.

So, you may sit back and ask me what I would have done over if I had the chance. All I can say is that I honestly don't know, but since I'm currently resting in a pine box, six feet underground, I'd say that I have a lot of time to think about it.

But in the end, it doesn't even matter.

...  
**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**  
...

**AN**: A very big thank you to MinaRivera for the idea do write a Victoria POV in the first place! *mwah*

Victoria wasn't easy to write, but I hope I gave you a bit of perspective from her side. Thank you so very, very much to everyone who was able to donate and make the fundraiser a success! I'm also taking part in a few other charities that are going on as we speak. Fret not if you're unable to donate, they'll still be put up on my FFn at the first possible date.

** I've co-written a O/S called _**Paperthin Hymn**_ with laurnorder for The Fandom Fights the Floods, the compilation is available now.

** I've written a Charlie POV Parachute Outtake called _**My Daughter's Eyes**_ for the Fandom Gives Back: Autism Speaks fundraiser.

** I've signed on the write for The Fandom For Sexual Assault Awareness and Fandom for Tsunami ~ Not sure what I'm writing for the Tsunami yet, but the FFSAA is already planned out as a O/S with the possibility of more. It'll be called **_Accidentally in Love_**.

Thanks again for all of the love and support that you guys heap upon me! I treasure and appreciate each and every one of you!

~Shel~


	12. In My Daughter's Eyes : Charlie POV

**AN**: This is the Charlie POV Outtake that I wrote for The Fandom Gives Back: Autism Speaks compilation.

.  
**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

_In my daughter's eyes I am a hero_  
_I am strong and wise and I know no fear_  
_But the truth is plain to see_  
_She was sent to rescue me_  
_I see who I wanna be_  
_In my daughter's eyes_

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**  
.

_**May 21, 2011**_  
..

I had a vision of this moment, the very first day that I met Edward Cullen. I had this pre-conceived notion that I could remain impartial and hard-nosed when faced with the man who had stolen my daughter's heart. I was wrong. When I looked into eyes that were identical to Jack's, filled with so much love, my walls crumbled immediately. I placed myself in his shoes, with my daughter missing and thought dead for five years, and my heart went out to this man. I don't how I would've survived it. When he smiled at me, nervous, yet genuinely happy to meet me, I knew there was no stopping any relationship between him and Bella.

While we sat and shared a beer, shooting the shit about sports, I easily pictured a day in the not so distant future where he'd be my son-in-law. I'd screwed up royally by pushing Bella towards Jacob and I vowed that even though I might have been a little tougher on her prospective boyfriends, I would let her make her own decisions. If Edward was her choice, then I'd stand by her. I'd also beat the ever-living shit out of him if her ever hurt her, but that was a different story.

Today, well, today was a day that I was both dreading and looking forward to at the same time. Even though Bella was a mother, in every sense of the word but physically, she was still my little girl. Today, she was becoming someone's wife and I'd have to let her go, trusting that Edward would cherish and take care of her. I knew that was something that I needn't fear, but it still wasn't easy to admit that my baby was all grown up. I was giving her away, in every sense of the word.

Beautiful didn't begin to describe how she looked with her hair swept up, the long gown flowing behind her as she walked towards me. She linked her arm through mine and smiled radiantly.

"Ready, Daddy?" she whispered.

I was simultaneously fighting back a smile as well as tears. "As ready as you are, baby," I lied through my teeth.

Her answering grin was well worth it. Just as they began to play the wedding march, I turned and gave her what I hoped was a cheeky smile.

"You know, it's not too late to change your mind. We could cash in those tickets to Italy and disappear. My shotgun's in the car."

She giggled and slapped me playfully on the arm, not realizing that I was being dead serious. I wanted nothing more than to kidnap her and Jack and whisk them away from the world. Instead, I sighed and walked her down the aisle. I tried my best to look straight forward, hoping to avoid glancing at Edward, but it was no use. The man's joy lit up his face like a thousand watt bulb. My defenses crumbled entirely when I looked beside him and saw Jack dressed identically, officiating as best man once again. His expression mirrored his father's and I knew without a doubt that I had nothing to fear. These two men would take care of my baby girl and make her happy long after I was gone from this Earth. And that's all that mattered in the end.

When we reached the front, their eyes were locked on each other's with an intensity that took even my breath away.

"Who gives this woman to be wedded to this man?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat before responding. "I do, sir."

I heard sniffles from my left and I felt a pang of sadness for Renee. To be honest, I was fine with the traditional, "Her mother and I do," line, but Bella was firmly against it. She felt that even though her mother was making a commendable effort to be in her life again, at this stage, she should be counting herself lucky that she even got an invite. Once again, proving that she was my daughter, through and through.

Edward's eyes flicked to mine and he smiled whole-heartedly. "Thank you, Charlie," he murmured, shaking my hand. My respect for him swelled another notch as I nodded and moved off to the side, taking my place next to Renee.

"She looks so beautiful," she whispered.

"Yes, she certainly does," I murmured quietly.

I could barely see through the tears in my eyes, but I never tore my gaze from the scene before me. We'd gone through so much over the years that it was hard to believe where we were today. Bits and pieces of her childhood flipped through my mind like a photo album; our first fishing trip, her first gap-toothed smile after losing her two front teeth one year, skinned knees and broken bones. Looking back, I wouldn't trade any of it for the world. It was completely corny and clichéd, but my life truly started on the day she was born.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride."

I had to look away when their lips touched, pressing my fingers into my eyes as I tried to fight back tears. I have nothing against men showing emotion, but I was Chief Swan and had a rep to uphold. I took a deep breath and glanced up just as they were walking out. Renee nudged me and offered a tissue, causing me to glare at her. She laughed and patted my shoulder.

"Still the same gruff, hard-ass, eh?"

I snatched the tissue from her hand and rolled my eyes. I slowly rose to my feet, offering her my hand to help her to her feet. As I went to release her hand, she gripped it tightly. I looked down into her hazel eyes and freckled nose, briefly seeing the girl that I had fallen in love with all those years ago. She smiled sadly and a pair of symmetrical tears rolled down her cheeks. She visibly swallowed, trying to wrangle her emotions as I patiently waited for her to gather her thoughts.

"You've done a hell of a job, Charlie. I missed out on so much and I can never get that back, I know, but I promise that I won't stop trying. She's a wonderful woman and it's all because of you. You should feel so proud of that."

I cleared my throat and nodded. "I'm not gonna lie, when you left it was hard. We struggled, but we ended up alright." My gaze wandered to the back of the church, where our spouses waited for us. Sue met my gaze and smiled serenely, making my chest light and happy. It's true, Renee had destroyed our lives when she left, but we rose from the ashes and ended up just where we needed to be. Maybe one day I'd be able to thank her for that. One day.

.  
**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

_And when she wraps her hand_  
_around my finger_  
_Oh it puts a smile in my heart_  
_Everything becomes a little clearer_  
_I realize what life is all about_

_It's hangin' on when your heart_  
_Has had enough_  
_It's giving more when you feel like giving up_  
_I've seen the light_  
_It's in my daughter's eyes_

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**  
.

"It was a beautiful ceremony, wasn't it?" my daughter's soft voice mused, as we danced slowly around the floor for our Father/Daughter dance.

"Yeah, it was. You've made such a beautiful bride, Bells."

As Martina McBride sang on about her daughter's eyes, I felt my chest tighten as each of the words hit me square in the heart. I looked down sharply when Bella sniffled. I reached up and moved a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Hey now, no tears on your wedding day. What's wrong?"

She smiled up brilliantly. "Nothing's wrong, Daddy. I love you so much. I never dreamed that this day would be here. Thank you for always supporting me and loving me."

I felt my nose burn and I knew my fight against my tears was over. I pulled her to my chest and took a deep breath, letting them finally fall.

"No matter what happens, you'll always be my little girl."

A small sob pulled her chest and she clutched me tightly. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you, too, Baby Girl."

We swayed and clutched each other tightly, as if it was the last time we'd ever see each other again. In reality, nothing was changing but her name. Edward was already my son, today just made it official.

As the music drew to a close, I felt a slight tap on my my shoulder. Edward stood there, his eyes bright and happy.

"May I cut in, Charlie?" he asked politely, even though his eyes never left hers.

Smirking, I stepped back and watched for a moment as he swept her into his arms. I felt familiar arms wrap around my waist. Sighing, I looked down into the almost jet black eyes of my wife. Sue smiled and followed my gaze to the dance floor.

"She'll be fine, my love," she spoke quietly.

Leaning down, I kissed her on the head. "I know, but it's still hard for me to let go. It's easier knowing how much he loves her, though."

"Come, dance with me," she murmured as she tugged me out on the floor.

Smiling, I allowed myself to get lost in her arms for the rest of the evening.

.  
**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

_In my daughter's eyes I can see the future_  
_A reflection of who I am and what will be_  
_Though she'll grow and someday leave_  
_Maybe raise a family_  
_When I'm gone I hope you see how happy_  
_She made me_  
_For I'll be there_  
_In my daughter's eyes_

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**  
.

_**May 23, 2015**_  
_.._

Green eyes gazed curiously up at mine as I wondered just what the hell I had gotten myself into. Babysitting my three grandchildren while my daughter and son-in-law took an overnight trip to celebrate their anniversary was all well and good. But then my wife calls to say that she'd be working late and didn't know what time she'd be home. That's when the panic hit. Sure, I'd taken Jack fishing or Ash to get ice cream, but never had both of them plus their baby brother for hours at a time.

Brian gurgled and seemed to laugh at my predicament. "Think it's funny, do you?" I cooed at the six-month-old I was holding in my arms as I sat in my favorite recliner.

Ashley giggled from her spot on the floor, surrounded by dolls in varying states of undress. "Byan laffs at e'rything, Poppa."

"Is that so, Princess?"

She smiled a toothy grin, her green eyes bright with amusement. She had her dad's eyes and smiles, but everything else was Bella's. From the cute freckles across her nose to her mahogany hair. Whereas her little brother had the same reddish brown hue as Jack with wide brown eyes that Bella inherited from me.

Ten minutes later, Jack emerged from wherever he'd been hiding with his new cell phone in hand. He started working odd jobs for his mom at the bookstore in order to pay for it and prove that he was responsible enough. He plopped down on the couch with a sigh.

"Everything alright, kiddo?" I asked, shifting the squirming child in my lap.

Jack stood up and held his arms out. "Here, let me take him. He likes to bounce."

Excited by the attention from his older brother, Brian began to babble and wave his arms. Jack sat down on the couch and gently bounced the baby on his knees, causing him to squeal with delight. I sat back as Ashley clambered into my lap and watched quietly, just enjoying the moment.

"Hey, Pops?" Jack broke the silence.

"Yeah?"

"How do you know when a girl likes you?"

Taken by surprise, I pursed my lips as I thought over his question.

"Well, Jack, that's a difficult question, son. Women are complicated creatures. The only way to know for sure how they feel is to ask them directly."

The boy raised an eyebrow and looked at me like I had grown two heads.

"What? What's that look for?"

"So you're saying that I should just ask Bree up front if she likes me or not? Are you kidding me? She'll probably laugh in my face," he whined.

"Son, take my advice, playing mind games brings nothing but headaches. Most women will appreciate a strong, direct approach."

He chewed on his bottom lip as he thought over my advice. Another trait that he picked up from his mother.

"Plus," I added, "Aren't you a little too young to be worried about girls?"

He rolled his eyes. "Pops, I'm almost a man. I start high school next year, you know."

I coughed in an attempt to cover up an involuntary snort. A thirteen-year-old considering himself "almost a man" struck me as funny as hell. No matter how mature he acted for his age, the boy was still just that - a boy.

"How about some dinner, you guys?" I interjected, hoping to change the subject.

Ashley clapped her hands. "Oh yes! Can we has fankfutters?"

_What in the Sam Hell is that?_

I glanced over at Jack who was trying not to laugh. "Interpret, please."

"She wants to know if we can have frankfurters. She loves them."

"Oh, why didn't you just say that you wanted a hot dog?"

Her green eyes filled with tears, her bottom lip quivering before she started to wail.

This time, Jack couldn't stop his laughter at my panicked expression.

"You can't call them that, Pops. She takes it literally, so we have to call them frankfurters."

I pulled the crying girl to my chest and patted her back. "Ssh, it's okay. C'mon, stop crying. No dogs are eaten in my house, I promise."

She sniffled and pulled back to look into my eyes. "Are yew sure, Poppa? No doggies hurt?"

I shook my head and smiled. "I promise."

She smiled and wiped the tears from her face. "Okay."

Jack stood with Brian and chuckled. "I'll warm his bottle while you make dinner."

I got up, shifting Ashley to my hip, and watched him walk into the kitchen. I shook my head, marveling at just how grown up he was.

A few hours later, Ashley was tucked into bed and Jack was settled on the couch. I gently laid Brian down in his playpen, careful not to wake him as I covered him with a light blanket. Sighing in exhaustion, I fell back against the pillows and closed my eyes. A little while later, I listened as the bedroom door squeaked open quietly, soon followed by the sound of shoes hitting the floor. I held back my smile and pretended to be asleep as Sue rustled around the room. After a few minutes, I felt the covers move and her weight dip the bed. She curled up against me and sighed.

"I know you're awake," she whispered.

I could hear the smile in her voice and it caused me to laugh quietly. "I was just resting my eyes."

"How did everything go? I didn't get any calls from the Fire Department, so I'm assuming not too bad?"

"Honestly? It was exhausting, but it was good to spend some one-on-one time with the three of them. They're growing up too fast."

I felt her breath against my skin as she sighed. "That's how it goes. I felt so old when Leah made me a grandmother last year."

"Well, at least we can be old together, sweetheart."

.  
**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**  
**.**

Song used:_ In My Daughter's Eyes_ by Martina McBride


	13. Calling All Angels : Esme POV

**AN:** Today, June 8th, is the one year anniversary of my very first fic, Parachute! I've wanted to write this Outtake of Esme's for a while now, but some lovely ladies on Facebook gave me the inspiration that I needed to write it earlier today.

So, happy anniversary to Parachute and I hope you guys enjoy the outtake! =)

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**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**

_I need a sign to let me know you're here_  
_All of these lines are being crossed over the atmosphere_  
_I need to know that things are gonna look up_

_'Cause I feel us drowning in a sea spilled from a cup_  
_When there is no place safe and no safe place to put my head_  
_When you feel the world shake from the words that are said_

_And I'm calling all angels_  
_I'm calling all you angels_

_..._

_Calling All Angels_ by Train

**O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O_o_O**  
.

**_June 22, 1984_**  
_.._

**Esme POV**  
..

This had been the longest day in the history of time. I stretched and cracked my back as I stood up in my small cubicle at Mann & Perkins Designs. I'd been working here for the past two years, helping to pay our bills as my husband made his way through medical school. We barely saw each other because of our schedules and things were tight at the moment, but someday, hopefully sooner rather than later, we'd look back and know it was all worth it.

I grabbed my purse and rushed down to my little car, hoping to get home before Carlisle and start dinner. The traffic on Kennedy was light, so I made it home within twenty minutes, which was a good half an hour before Car would be home. As I struggled with my keys to our two bedroom apartment, I could hear the phone ringing off the hook. Just as the door swung open, the answering machine clicked on.

_Hi__! __You__'__ve __reached __Esme __and __Carlisle__! __We__'__re __not __here __to __pick __up __the __phone__, b__ut __leave __a __message __and __we__'__ll __call __you __back__!_

"Hello, Ms. Platt. This is Georgiana at Rockford Memorial Hospital. We're trying to contact you-"

"Hello?" I answered breathlessly, cutting off the machine and picking up the phone.

"Oh!" a surprised voice squeaked. "Hello, I'm trying to reach Esme Platt, is she available?"

"I am- I mean, that's me. I'm Esme Platt, well, Esme Cullen now that I'm married." Taking a deep breath, I attempted to calm my nerves. Carlisle was at Northwestern, not in Rockford, almost two hours away. There was nothing to worry about. "I'm sorry, I'm rambling. How may I help you, ma'am?"

The woman on the other end of the line chuckled. "It's quite all right, Ms. Platt, I mean Mrs. Cullen." She sighed and the mood quickly sombered.

"I'm so sorry, dear, but I'm calling to inform you that Mr. and Mrs. Edward Masen were killed in an accident yesterday evening. You were listed as Mrs. Masen's next of kin and it took us a little while to track you down."

Confusion immediately washed over me. I'd never heard of anyone named Masen. When I told Georgiana as much, the other woman was just as confused.

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Cullen, but you're listed as Elizabeth Masen's daughter."

All at once, the breath left my lungs and I collapsed to my knees. "Was," I started, then had to stop to swallow the lump in my throat. "Was her maiden name Parker?"

"Why, yes it was! Do you know her after all?"

"Yes," I replied in a whisper. "She's the biological mother who gave me up for adoption. I've never met her, so I don't know why she'd list me as her next of kin."

"Oh my," the woman murmured. "This complicates things," she sighed.

"Why? What does it complicate?" Confusion was not an emotion that I was on good terms with.

"Mrs. Masen was nine months pregnant. The doctors were able to save the baby's life, but both of his parents didn't make it, unfortunately. Since you are the only next of kin listed, we needed to contact you about the baby's future."

"Me? How can I decide about his future? I know nothing about him."

Anxiety began to creep up my spine. Were these people crazy? This kid was not my responsibility.

"Well, we normally don't talk so frankly over the phone about these types of matters, but I know you're far away and this is coming as a shock to you, Mrs. Cullen. Your options are pretty cut and dried. You can either choose to take custody of the baby or sign away your rights. Either way, we'd need you to come here to the hospital."

My heart began to ache for this little boy who'd just lost his whole family in one fell swoop. "What happens to him if I sign him over?"

"He'll be placed in Child Services and put into foster care until an adoption can be arranged."

I plopped down on the couch, running a hand through my hair.

"I'll need to discuss this with my husband when he gets home, but since tomorrow is Saturday, we'll be able to take the drive over tomorrow. Is that okay? Can I give you our decision then?"

"Of course, Mrs. Cullen. I know this isn't a decision you can make lightly."

"Okay, I'll be there tomorrow."

"Have a good evening, ma'am."

"Thank you, good bye."

I reached over and hung the phone up on its base, sitting on the table next to out couch.

"So, where are we taking a ride to tomorrow, Es?"

Glancing over to the door, my handsome husband stood by the door, looking exhausted, yet happy to see me as always. Guilt immediately racked me from all sides. I felt bad for that little boy—my brother—but there was no way we could juggle a baby right now. Noticing my distress, Carlisle quickly made his way over and sat down next to me, taking me into his arms.

"Oh, Essy," he murmured. "What's wrong, baby?"

As I poured out my heart, sharing all of the details from the phone call, he listened attentively and patiently.

"What do you want to do, love?" he replied softly. "It's your choice and I'll support you in whatever you choose."

I rolled my eyes and pulled away in annoyance. "No, Car. This is _**our **_decision. We're a partnership; I can't make that kind of a choice without your opinion."

He smiled sadly and gently placed a strand of hair behind my ear. "Essy, it would be difficult, but we'd find a way to manage. I honestly would be fine with whatever decision you make. If you want to bring him home with us, I'll love him like he was my own. If you choose to sign him over to the state, I'll hold your hand."

I blinked back tears and cupped his face. "Why do you always have to be so perfect?"

He kissed me softly. "It's because you bring it out in me, my love. It's easy to be everything for you."

I rested my forehead against his, agony tearing my soul apart. "We can't," I whispered brokenly. "There's—there's just not enough time. Between my job and your schooling, we're already at out limits. A baby would be disastrous."

As I broke down in sobs, he wrapped his arms around me and stroked my back in comfort.

"Ssh, it's okay, baby. It'll all be fine."

"Then why do I feel so bad?"

His chest moved as he laughed slightly. "You have one of the biggest, most compassionate hearts that I've ever come across, Esme. It's one of the things that made me fall in love with you. You wouldn't be you if this wasn't making your heart ache. It's a tough choice, but like I said, I'll be by your side."

"I love you, Car," I whispered, placing my lips against his neck.

"I love you, too, Es."

.  
**O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O**  
.

Carlisle watched me in amusement as I paced back and forth in the waiting room outside of the Rockford NICU.

"Es, calm down. The social worker will be here shortly," he spoke in a soothing voice.

"I know, I know," I replied in agitation. "I just want this to be over with."

A tall African-American woman turned the corner and headed right in our direction. She smiled kindly and held out her hand.

"Mr. and Mrs. Cullen? I'm Elaine Smith, the social worker here at Rockford Memorial."

Carlisle smiled and shook her hand, as my gaze slid over to the sliding doors that separated us from the NICU. Something was pulling me there, like an invisible string.

"Es?" Carlisle called, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"I'm so sorry, yes?"

Ms. Smith smiled. "I was just asking if you'd made your decision?"

"Yes, I-" My voice froze in my throat and I was unable to continue, my entire body being pulled toward that room with all of the tiny babies. I began to wonder if this was some sort of sign.

As if she could sense my dilemma, the social worker motioned towards the doors. "Would you like to meet him first?"

Some unknown emotion flared in my chest and for a fraction of a second, I wanted to turn and run away. Like I somehow knew this was the moment that would change my life. I looked over at my husband for support and he nodded. Nervously playing with my fingers, I followed the woman into the sterile, white room.

I touched his tiny hand with my finger, before gently lifting him from his little basket. I shifted him in my arms and our eyes connected.

There are moments you read about in books, things you think only happen in movies, but when my eyes settled on that small bundle of blue, my world shifted on its axis. Tears fell down my face and I knew—I just _**knew**_—that I couldn't walk away from him.

I heard my husband's cheery voice from the doorway and I glanced up, sure that wonder and awe were still splashed across my face.

"I take it we're new parents?" he joked, walking over to glance down at the child in my arms. He reached out and softly stroked the baby's cheek, bringing forth a wide yawn.

"Hello, son," he murmured, wrapping an arm around my waist.

"Son," I repeated, testing the word upon my tongue. Nothing had ever felt more right.

I looked up at Carlisle, my heart ready to burst with love and joy. "What was I thinking, Car? We can do this; we'll give him a good life."

My husband—my rock and biggest supporter—merely smiled and kissed my forehead. "Yes, we will, Esme."

"What should we name him?" I asked, mostly to myself.

"Well, why don't we name him in honor of his father?"

"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen." I whispered. "That's a mouthful, but I think it's perfect for him."

Edward's blue eyes slowly closed, content to fall asleep in my arms.

"This is just a new beginning, Esme."

I looked up at my husband and grinned, happy tears escaping my eyes, and nodded.

"A new beginning with our little angel."

.  
**O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O****_****o****_****O**  
.

**AN:**

Song used: _Calling All Angels_ by Train

(I mean, really, I just had to use Train here!)

Huge thank to HolletLA for Beta'ing this, as well as SabLuvsLogan & StupidLambTanya for pre-reading! You guys rock my world!

IAmTheAlleyCat made a pretty banner for our outtake as well!** h t t p : / /** **tinyurl . com / 3gorees**

(just remove the link spaces)


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